Root vegetables
Daikon Radish NukazukeQuartered, Skin On, Pickled a Day, and How to Make It Milder
Daikon nukazuke has great flavor and texture. Daikon, the large white Japanese radish, is very juicy and perfect for nukazuke. Outside Japan, look for it at Asian grocery stores; Korean mu radish works too.
Much of the flavor is near the skin, so scrub it well and pickle it with the skin on.
| Prep | Cut 5 cm (2 in) rounds into quarters and pickle with the skin on |
|---|---|
| Pickling time | 18–24 hours |
| After pickling | Keep in the fridge and eat by the next day |
Pickling times are for a nuka bed kept in the fridge. At room temperature it pickles faster, and faster still in summer. The saltiness of your bed also makes a difference.
How to make daikon nukazuke
- Wash: Scrub the skin well with a brush and pat dry.
- Cut: Cut into rounds about 5 cm (2 in) thick, then cut each round into quarters.
- Pickle: Bury them in the nuka bed and cover with bran.
- Take them out: Rinse off the bran, slice into quarter rounds or half-moons, and serve.
For a milder taste
After taking it out of the bed, wrap it in plastic wrap and leave it in the fridge for a day. The saltiness and sourness settle, and it tastes mellower.
From bed to plate
How to eat it
- As is: With rice. A little yuzu or lemon zest adds a nice aroma.
- Pickle the leaves too: If your daikon has its leaves, rub them with salt and pickle them as well.
Daikon is juicy and tends to make the bed watery. See Caring for a Nuka Bed. To dry it instead, see kiriboshi daikon (dried daikon strips).
