Japanese Daikon Salad

While daikon radish is delicious whether simmered or stir-fried, it is also popular in Japan as a salad ingredient. In Japanese Daikon Salad, you can enjoy the crunchy texture and flavor of daikon, enhanced with traditional Japanese seasonings and toppings for a delightful experience.

Japanese Daikon Salad is a dish made by cutting daikon radish into thin strips and tossing it with traditional Japanese seasonings, such as rice vinegar and soy sauce. Bonito flakes (katsuobushi) and nori seaweed are often added as toppings. It has a refreshing taste, with a subtle sweetness from the daikon and a satisfying crunch.

Quick and easy to prepare, it is a great choice when you want to add a vegetable dish to your meal. Since it uses a generous amount of daikon, it is also an ideal way to use up any leftover daikon. Gentle on the stomach, this salad makes a healthy addition to your everyday meals.

Let’s take a closer look at daikon radish. Daikon, the primary ingredient in this salad, is packed with a variety of nutrients, including:

• Vitamin C
• Folate
• Potassium
• Dietary fiber
• Digestive enzymes (amylase, protease, lipase)
• Isothiocyanates

The key nutritional advantage of daikon salad lies in eating it raw, which allows for better absorption of vitamin C, digestive enzymes, and isothiocyanates, as they are easily broken down by heat when cooked. These nutrients help boost the immune system, prevent lifestyle-related diseases, aid digestion, and improve gut health. Additionally, the high levels of potassium and dietary fiber support healthy blood pressure and help reduce cholesterol.

In short, daikon salad is a low-calorie dish that allows you to enjoy all the health benefits of daikon to the fullest, making it an excellent choice for maintaining overall wellness, enhancing beauty, and supporting daily health.

There are also some key points to keep in mind regarding the flavor of daikon. Its taste varies depending on which part you use. It can be divided into the upper, middle, and lower parts, starting from the leaves, each with its own specific characteristics:

• Upper part: High in moisture and sweetness, and low in spiciness, making it perfect for eating raw, such as in salads.
• Middle part: Well balanced between spiciness and sweetness, making it suitable for simmered dishes.
• Lower part: Low in moisture and high in spiciness. It absorbs flavors easily, making it ideal for pickles.

In Japanese daikon salad, where daikon is eaten raw, the upper part is the best choice. You can use the other parts as well, but you may notice a slightly stronger, spicier flavor.

This salad can easily change its flavor profile depending on the toppings you add.

In Japan, it is common to add either bonito flakes, nori seaweed, or both, which gives the salad a more traditional Japanese flavor. Both pair wonderfully with daikon, making it a great choice.

If you want to add a bit more flavor or color, try adding shiso leaves (perilla) or kaiware sprouts (daikon sprouts). There are plenty of other toppings that would work well too, so feel free to experiment with different toppings to suit your taste.

Ingredients

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Instructions

🕒 Total: 6 mins mins

Step 1
Peel the daikon slightly thicker, then cut it into thin strips.

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Step 2
In a small bowl, combine the seasonings (sugar, rice vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, and sesame seeds), and mix well.

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Step 3
Put the daikon in a large bowl, pour the seasoning mixture over it, and toss everything together.

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Step 4
Serve in bowls, and top with bonito flakes and nori seaweed to taste.

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To store

You can store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.