Takuan Recipes

TAKUAN

Steps:

• Peel the radish and then slice it thinly as desired (see notes).
• Sprinkle with salt and leave for 2 hours in order to draw out moisture.
• Place the salt, sugar, vinegar, water and turmeric in a saucepan and bring to a boil.
• Continue stirring the pickling mixture until all the salt and sugar have dissolved. Set aside to cool down.
• Squeeze the excess moisture out of the radish and place the vegetable in a sterilised, airtight storage container.
• Pour in the pickling liquid, ensure all surfaces of the radish are covered.
• Wait for at least 2 days, but preferably 1 month, for the flavours to develop.
• Serve with a bowl of rice or miso soup.

TAKUAN - JAPANESE YELLOW PICKLED RADISH

Steps:

• Peel the daikon, removing both ends and cut down the centre. Slice into half moons.
• Place them all in a large ziplock bag. Add sugar, salt, vinegar and yellow food dye (or tumeric).
• Seal the bag and massage for a few minutes until the daikon is evenly coated.
• Wrap up and place in an airtight container in the fridge (to reduce smell). Pickles will be ready in 24 hours minimum and the flavour will only get better each day after.

TAKUAN

Steps:

• Mix sugar, vinegar, salt, pepper, and food coloring. Add to the daikon and mix until all daikon slices are coated. At first the mixture will appear dry but after a few hours the moisture will come out from the daikon. Let this mixture set at room temperature for 3 hour and place into the refrigerator for weeks before use.

SWEET PICKLED DAIKON RADISH

Steps:

• In a small saucepan over medium heat add the vinegar, water, sugar, and turmeric. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Remove from heat and allow it to cool.
• Meanwhile, peel the daikon radish and slice into 1/4-inch thick rounds. (If your daikon is very large, slice the rounds into semicircles.) Place in a colander with salt and mix well. Place the colander over a bowl and let drain for 1 hour. Rinse the salt off with a couple of changes of water and dry the daikon well. Put into a sterilized glass jar. Pour the cooled brine through a coffee filter (or a cheesecloth lined strainer) into the jar to cover the radish slices. Refrigerate at least 4 hours, preferably overnight. Will keep for about 2 weeks.

JAPANESE TAKUAN PICKLE

Steps:

• Wash daikon well. Bundle two daikon by leaves and using clothes line dry in a location with sun and good ventiliation. Bring them indoors at night. Takes 1 week drying.
• After 1 week drying, mix together rice bran or nuka, salt, and sugar or brown sugar (organic is good). Cut off the leaves and keep for use later.
• Place about 1-2 cm layer of nuka mixture in the bottom of a large pickling container. Place daikon neatly in layers on top of the mixture.
• Top off with the remainder of nuka mixture. Place the leaves from the daikon on top.
• Place a heavy plastic over the the mixture. Place a heavy rock or another object for weight. The weight needed is usually 2-3 times the weight of daikon. If 1 daikon weighs 1 pound then about 2-3 pound weight.
• After 1 month it is ready to slice and eat. See photos of the steps at http://www.recipezaar.com/bb/viewtopic.zsp?t=320927.
• Serving is a total guess.