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Daikon Wikipedia

Taxobox_begin | color = lightgreen | name = Daikon
Taxobox_image | image = Image:Daikon.Japan.jpg|250px|Daikon | caption = A pile of daikon radishes.
Taxobox_begin_placement | color = lightgreen
Taxobox_regnum_entry | taxon = Plantae
Taxobox_divisio_entry | taxon = Flowering plant|Magnoliophyta
Taxobox_classis_entry | taxon = Magnoliopsida
Taxobox_ordo_entry | taxon = Brassicales
Taxobox_familia_entry | taxon = Brassicaceae
Taxobox_genus_entry | taxon = Raphanus
Taxobox_species_entry | taxon = sativus
Taxobox_end_placement
Taxobox_section_binomial_botany | color = lightgreen | binomial_name = Raphanus sativus | author = L.
Taxobox_end

Daikon (Japanese language|Japanese: 大根; literally "large root", Raphanus sativus), is a mild-flavored East Asian giant white radish. Other names are daikon radish, Japanese or Chinese radish, winter radish, and mooli. Although there are many varieties of daikon, the most common in Japan, the Aokubi Daikon, has the shape of a giant carrot, approximately 8 to 14 inches (200 to 350 mm) long and 2 to 4 inches (50 to 100 mm) in diameter. One of the most unlikely shaped daikon is Sakurajima daikon from Kagoshima Prefecture that is shaped like an oversized turnip with white outside and bright pink inside.

Daikon is an essential part of Japanese cuisine. It may be simmering|simmered and served alone or in nabe or oden. Daikon is also commonly grated, and served either as a garnish or as an accent in soups such as miso soup. It also accompanies tempura, for mixing into the sauce. With soy sauce it is served with Japanese-style hamburgers. It is used to make takuan, a kind of fermented pickle used in sushi and as a garnish for white rice.

Shredded and dried daikon is called kiriboshi daikon (切干大根), literally cut-and-dried daikon. Pickled whole daikon is called takuan (沢庵), and often has a bright yellow color. It is claimed, but not historically supported, that a Buddhist monk called Takuan first made this pickled daikon to preserve vegetables for the long winter. Pickled sliced daikon, or senmaizuke, (千枚漬け) is a famous product of Kyoto, Kyoto|Kyoto.

Fresh leaves of daikon can also be eaten as a leaf vegetable but they are often removed when sold in a store because they do not adjust well to the refrigerator, yellowing quite easily. Daikon sprouting|sprouts, known as kaiware, are a popular garnish for salads and sushi.

Daikon is likewise a very important ingredient in Chinese cuisine|Chinese and Korean cuisine|Korean cuisines. In China, it is used in different dishes like poon choi. Chinese people use daikon to make Mooli Cake in the Chinese New Year. The cake is cooked either by frying or steaming. Daikon is often added to fishball curry, along with pig skin. In Korea, it is often pickled, and used in kimchee.

Category:Brassicaceae
Category:Chinese cuisine
Category:Japanese cuisine
Category:Leaf vegetables
Category:Root vegetables

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Last Modified:   2005-11-07