White Radish
White Radish
Ingredient Name:
White radish, radish, oriental radish, Japanese radish, daikon
Traditional Chinese Name:
白蘿蔔 (bái luóbo)
White radish is cooling with sweet and bitter tones.
One of my favorite roots to eat of all time! Both cooked (in soups, stews, dishes, dim sum) and raw ( as the Japanese appetizers). This type of root absorbs the flavor of whatever ingredients you use to marinate or cook it in and it has a very particular and unique taste that almost borders slightly bitter, but not quite.
How do I prepare it?
- These big roots come in a variety of sizes and also breeds, but are usually very white in colour with a green stem. They are mildly flavoured and commonly found in East Asian dishes such as soups and stews.
- To prepare them, I will wash and peel the skin first. Peel a bit deeper as the skin is quite thick and is tough to chew (even when boiled for a long time).
- You can slice them thinly, maintaining the round shape, you can quarter or halve them, or cube them for soup.
- Some times, this is also used raw as part of salads.
Where can I buy it and cost?
- You can purchase these from most supermarkets (Western and Asian a like)
- These are definitely available at HK wet marts
- They aren’t very costly if they are available
Any benefits?
- White radishes aid in digestion
- They are low in saturated fats and cholesterol
- They also make excellent food for weight loss and have a good amount of fiber
- White radishes also have good shelf life in the fridge. They can store for up to a few weeks. To check if they are still good for consumption, they should be relatively firm when squeezed.
Any precautions?
It is considered a cooling food
Not ideal to be consumed if you have a cough or cold
Pregnant women and those menstruating should take caution as it may cause contractions if consumed in great amounts
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