To this day, I do not like the smell of daikon radish in my fridge, or my home, but regardless of this tiny “problem”, I still enjoy eating it. Perhaps its because it happens to be one of the traditional Japanese vegetables that regularly appeared in my mom’s dinner repertoire, including oden, a favorite winter stew where the daikon is simmered over a long period of time. Or more commonly, daikon appeared in sunomono style vinegar based salads where the daikon was marinated raw. Either way, cooked or raw, daikon radish is nothing short of odoriferous, in my opinion.
If one can overcome the aroma of daikon in the fridge and home, then I recommend making this super simple, easy Japanese pickle. It really dresses up an otherwise ordinary Japanese meal, by adding a little “something-something” side dish to accompany a bowl of rice.
This pickled daikon is simply seasoned with salt, and marinated with a bit of wagiri togarashi (dried red chili peppers) to add a hint of a spicy kick. It’s served with a dash of soy sauce, or a combination of soy sauce and rice vinegar.
So why is it that odoriferous daikon radish prompted my brief re-appearance on my otherwise quiet-most-of-the-year-blog?
Good question.
Perhaps I’m having a moment of nostalgia with regards to foods that remind me of my mom’s cooking. Perhaps I’m having some weird realization in remembering that one of the reasons I originally started this blog was for archiving family recipes, and the joy of writing (i.e. rambling whatever I want), as well as finding pleasure in the little things in life. Perhaps its because my little one, is not so little anymore, and that “one day” has arrived where she is visiting my blog, and sometimes using it as a resource to make her own blog regarding a philanthropic idea she and her friend have. She’s not a baby anymore!
Cheers to nostalgic daikon radish pickles, and may your fridge and home not smell awful when you try this recipe! ;)
Print My Moms Daikon Pickles Author: Judy Ung Recipe type: Appetizer Salad Cuisine: Japanese Prep time: 10 mins Total time: 10 mins Ingredients
- ½ pound daikon (Japanese white radish)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon wagiri togarashi (dried red chili pepper sliced into thin rounds)
- Remove exterior skin of daikon with a vegetable peeler and slice lengthwise in half. Then cut into rectangular pieces.
- Place daikon pieces in a bowl, sprinkle with salt, and add wagiri togarashi (red peppers).
- Cover bowl with plastic wrap and weight it down with another bowl.
- Store in the fridge for two days. Rinse gently with water.
- Serve with soy sauce and or rice vinegar.
