Tori Daikon is a Japanese simmered dish that combines chicken and flavor-infused daikon radish in perfect harmony. The tenderly simmered daikon, combined with a Japanese-style teriyaki sauce, melts in your mouth.
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What is Tori Daikon?
Tori Daikon is a Japanese simmered dish that combines chicken and daikon radish, seasoned mainly with mirin and soy sauce. Tori means chicken, and Daikon refers to daikon radish. By simmering the chicken together with daikon, the rich flavor of the chicken infuses into the daikon, creating a delightful combination.
Since most of the process involves simmering, it's easy to prepare. You'll love the savory and sweet flavors!
The sauce used
The sauce used for tori daikon is Japanese teriyaki sauce made from sake, sugar, mirin, and soy sauce. It is primarily used in Japan when cooking fish or meat, and the dish prepared with this glaze is called "teriyaki sauce" because the surface of the dish looks shiny (teri) when cooked (yaki) with it.
While there is also teriyaki sauce in the U.S., it differs in both ingredients and taste from the Japanese version. The U.S. teriyaki sauce is a Western-style sauce originally manufactured by Kikkoman, a Japanese soy sauce company. For an authentic experience, try Japanese teriyaki sauce for your Japanese dishes.
About otoshi-buta (drop-lid)
When making Japanese simmered dishes, it is common to use an otoshi-buta (drop lid). An otoshi-buta is a lid that is placed directly on top of the ingredients in the pot. By having the lid in direct contact with the ingredients, the cooking liquid beneath it circulates over the ingredients, allowing for efficient simmering with less water.
An otoshi-buta is available commercially, but you can easily make one, similar to the one shown in the photo above, by simply poking a hole or several holes in aluminum foil. It's very simple, so give it a try. However, if you find it tedious, you can still make Japanese simmered dishes using a regular lid.
Other Japanese simmered dishes using daikon
Daikon radish is a type of vegetable that easily absorbs flavors, making it a staple in Japanese simmered dishes. After trying this dish, I encourage you to explore other Japanese simmered dishes using daikon, such as "Buta-bara Daikon" (Japanese simmered pork belly and daikon) or "Buri Daikon" (Japanese simmered yellowtail and daikon). Let's embark on a culinary adventure!
Ingredients
- 10.6 oz. (300g) daikon radish
- 7 oz. (200g) boneless chicken thighs
- ½ tsp ginger
- ⅘ cup (200ml) bonito dashi (awase dashi) (For information on how to make bonito dashi and awase dashi, please refer to the linked article) (While the flavor will fade, you can substitute it with water) (A)
- 1 Tbsp sake (A)
- 1 tsp sugar (A)
- 2 Tbsp mirin (A)
- 1 ½ Tbsp soy sauce
Step-by-step instructions
This recipe uses an otoshi-buta (drop-lid). You can easily make one by referring to the instructions above. Alternatively, you can use a regular lid instead.
🕒 Total 35 mins
Step 1
Peel and cut the daikon into 0.8 inch (2cm) thick rounds, then cut each one into bite-sized pieces, either into quarters or sixths. Cut the chicken thighs into 0.8 inch (2 cm) cubes. Peel and grate the ginger.
Step 2
Heat oil in a pan. Add chicken thighs and sauté them over medium heat until both sides change color.
Step 3
Add the daikon radish, grated ginger, and A (water, sake, sugar, mirin) to the pan. Once the seasoned liquid comes to a boil, cover it with an otoshi-buta and simmer over low heat for about 15 minutes.
Step 4
Remove the otoshi-buta, add soy sauce, and simmer over medium heat until most of the liquid is reduced, for about 10 minutes.
To Store
You can store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Tips on how to make
- Simmer slowly over low heat. Allowing the daikon radish to simmer slowly over time allows the flavors to penetrate it deeply.
- Soy sauce should be added in the final step. By adding soy sauce later, you can season the dish while preserving some of its flavors.
Recipe Card
Tori Daikon (Simmered Chicken And Daikon Radish)
Equipment
- otoshi-buta (drop-lid) (You can easily make it by referring to the instructions above. Alternatively, you can use a regular lid instead.)
Ingredients
- 10.6 oz. (300g) daikon radish
- 7 oz. (200g) boneless chicken thighs
- ½ tsp ginger
- ⅘ cup (200ml) bonito dashi (awase dashi) (For information on how to make bonito dashi and awase dashi, please refer to the linked article) (While the flavor will fade, you can substitute it with water) (A)
- 1 Tbsp sake (A)
- 1 tsp sugar (A)
- 2 Tbsp mirin (A)
- 1 ½ Tbsp soy sauce
Instructions
- Peel and cut the daikon into 0.8 inch (2cm) thick rounds, then cut each one into bite-sized pieces, either into quarters or sixths. Cut the chicken thighs into 0.8 inch (2 cm) cubes. Peel and grate the ginger.
- Heat oil in a pan. Add chicken thighs and sauté them over medium heat until both sides change color.
- Add the daikon radish, grated ginger, and A (water, sake, sugar, mirin) to the pan. Once the seasoned liquid comes to a boil, cover it with an otoshi-buta and simmer over low heat for about 15 minutes.
- Remove the otoshi-buta, add soy sauce, and simmer over medium heat until most of the liquid is reduced, for about 10 minutes.
Notes
- You can store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
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