Daikon, mooli, or white radish (Raphanus sativus var. longipinnatus, also known by other names) is a mild-flavoured, very large, white East Asian radish with a wide variety of culinary uses. Despite often being associated in Japan, it was originally cultivated in continental Asia.^[2]

Names [edit]

English [edit]

White radishes are known by several names in English,^[3][4] most commonly daikon.^[5] Other names include mooli, Oriental radish,^[6][7] Japanese radish, Chinese radish, Korean radish, chai tow, and lo bok. In many cases, several terms will coexist in the same locale, referring to different white radish varieties.

The English name "daikon" derives from the Japanese daikon (大根), literally "large root" (usually rendered in Katakana as ダイコン) and is the most common name for the vegetable in North America. However, the greener, rounder Korean varieties are rarely called daikon and are instead usually referred to as "Korean radish". Likewise, Chinese varieties are sometimes called "lo-bok" or "lo-bak" derived from the Cantonese lòhbaahk (蘿蔔).

In the United Kingdom with its stronger South Asian influence, the name "mooli",^[8] from Hindi mūlī (मूली), is used in addition to daikon.^[9]

The name "chai tow" or "chai tau", from Hokkien chhài-thâu (菜頭), is sometimes used in Singaporean and Malaysian English for the vegetable. Sometimes the Hokkien-derived term is back-translated as "carrot" because the word chai tow can also refer to a carrot (POJ: âng-chhài-thâu; literally "red radish"). This misnomer gave the title to a popular guidebook on Singapore's street food, There's No Carrot in Carrot Cake, which refers to chai tow kway, a savoury cake made of white radish.^[10]

Other languages [edit]

A Chinese radish, looking upwards from the base of the plant

As in English, terms in other languages often refer to different white radish varieties and in many cases are simply a generic term for "radish".

White radish is called mūlī in Hindi (मूली) and Urdu (مولی), mu (무) in Korean, labanos in Tagalog, daigo in Chamorro, lobak or lobak daikon in Malay and Indonesian, and củ cải trắng in Vietnamese.^[11]

In Chinese languages, the vegetable is known as bái luóbó (白蘿蔔, lit. "white radish") in Mandarin Chinese, lòhbaahk (蘿蔔) in Cantonese, and chhài-thâu (菜頭, lit. "vegetable head") in Hokkien/Taiwanese.

Varieties [edit]

Sakurajima daikon

Although there are many varieties of daikon, the most common in Japan, the aokubi-daikon, has the shape of a giant carrot, approximately 20 to 35 cm (8 to 14 in) long and 5 to 10 cm (2 to 4 in) in diameter. One of the most unusually shaped varieties of daikon cultivated in Kagoshima Prefecture is the turnip-shaped sakurajima daikon, which often grows as large as 50 cm (20 in) in diameter and weighs as much as 45 kg (100 lb).^[12] The flavour is generally rather mild compared to smaller radishes.

Korean varieties are larger and rounder than the typical long, thin Japanese types^[13] and are often spicier.

Culture [edit]

The variety "Long White Icicle" is available as seed in Britain, and will grow very successfully in Southern England, producing roots resembling a parsnip by midsummer in good garden soil in an average year.^{[citation needed]}

The Chinese radish or mooli tolerates higher temperatures than Japanese daikon, it grows well at lower elevations in East Africa. It is best if there is plenty of moisture and it can grow fast, otherwise it tastes too strong and its flesh is tough.^[14]

The roots can be stored for some weeks without the leaves if lifted and kept in a cool dry place. If left in the ground, the texture tends to become woody, but the storage life of untreated whole roots is not long.^{[clarification needed]}

Culinary use [edit]

Korean-style kkakdugi kimchi

In Japanese cuisine, many types of pickles are made with daikon, including takuan and bettarazuke. Daikon is also frequently used grated and mixed into ponzu, a soy sauce and citrus juice condiment. Simmered dishes are also popular such as oden. Daikon that has been shredded and dried (a common method of preserving food in Japan) is called kiriboshi-daikon (literally, "cut-dried daikon"). Daikon radish sprouts (kaiware-daikon) are used for salad or garnishing sashimi. Daikon leaf is frequently eaten as a green vegetable. Pickling and stir frying are common. The daikon leaf is part of the Festival of Seven Herbs, called suzushiro.

In Chinese cuisine, turnip cake and chai tow kway are made with daikon. The variety called mooli has a high water content, and some cookbooks recommend salting and draining it before it is cooked. Sometimes mooli is used to carve elaborate garnishes.^[15]

In Korean cuisine, a variety is used to make kkakdugi, nabak kimchi and muguk soup. The younger version of the radish is used with the leaves in chonggak kimchi. This variety of daikon is shorter, stouter, and has a pale green colour extending from the top, to approximately halfway down the tuber. The flesh is denser than the Japanese variety and the leaves are smooth in texture which makes them better for pickling. The leaves of a mature plant are often too tough to be eaten raw, and so are shade dried to be used in soups, or boiled and seasoned into potherbs.

Stri-fried chai tow kway

In Philippine cuisine, a soupy dish called sinigang is optionally cooked with daikon, known locally as labanos.

In Pakistani cuisine, the young leaves of the daikon plant are boiled and flash fried with a mixture of heated oil, garlic, ginger, red chili and a variety of spices. The radish is eaten as a fresh salad often seasoned with either salt and pepper or chaat masala.

In Bangladesh, fresh daikon is often finely grated and mixed with fresh chilli, coriander, flaked steamed fish, lime juice and salt. This light, refreshing preparation is served alongside meals and is known as mulo bhorta.

In South India, daikon is the principal ingredient in a variety of sambar, in which roundels of the radish are boiled with onions, tamarind pulp, lentils and a special spice powder.^[16] When cooked, it can release a very strong odor. This soup, called mullangi sambar (Tamil: முள்ளங்கி சாம்பார்; literally, "daikon sambar") is very popular and mixed with cooked rice to make a good meal.

In Vietnamese cuisine, sweet and sour pickled daikon and carrots (củ cải cà rốt chua) are a common condiment in bánh mì sandwiches.^[17]

Nutritional information [edit]

Daikon is very low in food energy. A 100-gram serving contains only 90 kilojoules or 22 Calories (6 Cal/oz), but provides 34 percent of the RDA for vitamin C. Daikon also contains the active enzyme myrosinase.

Notes [edit]

The radish (Raphanus sativus) is an edible root vegetable of the Brassicaceae family that was domesticated in Europe,^[1] in pre-Roman times. They are grown and consumed throughout the world. Radishes have numerous varieties, varying in size, color and duration of required cultivation time. There are some radishes that are grown for their seeds; oilseed radishes are grown, as the name implies, for oil production. Radish can sprout from seed to small plant in as little as 3 days.

The descriptive Greek name of the genus Raphanus means "quickly appearing" and refers to the rapid germination of these plants. Raphanistrum, from the same Greek root, is an old name once used for this genus. The common name "radish" is derived from Latin radix (root). The radish has been used over many centuries.

Although the radish was a well-established crop in Hellenistic and Roman times, which leads to the assumption that it was brought into cultivation at an earlier time, Zohary and Hopf note that "there are almost no archeological records available" to help determine its earlier history and domestication. Wild forms of the radish and its relatives, the mustards and turnip, can be found over west Asia and Europe, suggesting that their domestication took place somewhere in that area. However Zohary and Hopf conclude, "Suggestions as to the origins of these plants are necessarily based on linguistic considerations."^[2]

Cultivation [edit]

Growing radish plants

Radishes grow best in full sun^[3] and light, sandy loams with pH 6.5–7.0.^[4] They are in season from April to June and from October to January in most parts of North America; in Europe and Japan they are available year-round due to the plurality of varieties grown.^{[citation needed]}

Summer radishes mature rapidly, with many varieties germinating in 3–7 days, and reaching maturity in three to four weeks.^[5][6] Harvesting periods can be extended through repeated plantings, spaced a week or two apart.^[7]

As with other root crops, tilling the soil to loosen it up and remove rocks helps the roots grow.^[7] However, radishes are used in no-till farming to help reverse compaction.

Most soil types will work, though sandy loams are particularly good for winter and spring crops, while soils that form a hard crust can impair growth.^[7] The depth at which seeds are planted affects the size of the root, from 1 cm (0.4 in) deep recommended for small radishes to 4 cm (1.6 in) for large radishes.^[6]

Radishes are a common garden crop in the U.S., and the fast harvest cycle makes them a popular choice for children's gardens.^[5]

In temperate climates, it's customary to plant radishes every two weeks from early spring until a few weeks before the first frost, except during periods of hot weather. In warm-weather climates, they are normally planted in the fall.

Companion plant [edit]

Radishes serve as companion plants for many other species, because of their ability to function as a trap crop against pests like flea beetles. These pests will attack the leaves, but the root remains healthy and can be harvested later.

Varieties [edit]

Broadly speaking, radishes can be categorized into four main types (summer, fall, winter, and spring) and a variety of shapes lengths, colors, and sizes, such as red, pink, white, gray-black or yellow radishes, with round or elongated roots that can grow longer than a parsnip.

Spring or summer radishes [edit]

European radishes (Raphanus Sativus)

Germinating radishes, 10 days old

Sometimes referred to as European radishes or spring radishes if they're planted in cooler weather, summer radishes are generally small and have a relatively short 3–4 week cultivation time.^{[citation needed]}

• The April Cross is a giant white radish hybrid that bolts very slowly.
• Bunny Tail is an heirloom variety from Italy, where it is known as 'Rosso Tondo A Piccola Punta Bianca'. It is slightly oblong, mostly red, with a white tip.
• Cherry Belle is a bright red-skinned round variety with a white interior.^[5] It is familiar in North American supermarkets.
• Champion is round and red-skinned like the Cherry Belle, but with slightly larger roots, up to about 5 cm (2 in), and a milder flavor.^[5]
• Red King has a mild flavor, with good resistance to club root, a problem that can arise from poor drainage.^[5]
• Sicily Giant is a large heirloom variety from Sicily. It can reach up to two inches in diameter.
• Snow Belle is an all-white variety of radish, similar in shape to the Cherry Belle.^[5]
• White Icicle or just Icicle is a white carrot-shaped variety, around 10–12 cm (4–5 in) long, dating back to the 16th century. It slices easily, and has better than average resistance to pithiness.^[5][6]
• French Breakfast is an elongated red-skinned radish with a white splash at the root end. It is typically slightly milder than other summer varieties, but is among the quickest to turn pithy.^[6]
• Plum Purple a purple-fuchsia radish that tends to stay crisp longer than average.^[6]
• Gala and Roodbol are two varieties popular in the Netherlands in a breakfast dish, thinly sliced on buttered bread.^[5]
• Easter Egg is not an actual variety, but a mix of varieties with different skin colors,^[6] typically including white, pink, red, and purple radishes. Sold in markets or seed packets under the name, the seed mixes can extend harvesting duration from a single planting, as different varieties may mature at different times.^[6]

Winter varieties [edit]

Daikon

Black Spanish or Black Spanish Round occur in both round and elongated forms, and are sometimes simply called the black radish or known by the French name Gros Noir d'Hiver. It dates in Europe to 1548,^[8] and was a common garden variety in England and France during the early 19th century.^[9] It has a rough black skin with hot-flavored white flesh, is round or irregularly pear shaped,^[10] and grows to around 10 cm (4 in) in diameter.

Daikon refers to a wide variety of winter radishes from Asia. While the Japanese name daikon has been adopted in English, it is also sometimes called the Japanese radish, Chinese radish, Oriental radish or mooli (in India and South Asia).^[11] Daikon commonly have elongated white roots, although many varieties of daikon exist. One well known variety is April Cross, with smooth white roots.^[5][6] The New York Times describes Masato Red and Masato Green varieties as extremely long, well suited for fall planting and winter storage.^[5] The Sakurajima daikon is a hot-flavored variety which is typically grown to around 10 kg (22 lb), but which can grow to 30 kg (66 lb) when left in the ground.^[5][12]

Seed pod varieties [edit]

Radish fruits, also called pods

Radish seeds

The seeds of radishes grow in siliques (widely referred to as "pods"), following flowering that happens when left to grow past their normal harvesting period. The seeds are edible, and are sometimes used as a crunchy, spicy addition to salads.^[6] Some varieties are grown specifically for their seeds or seed pods, rather than their roots. The Rat-tailed radish, an old European variety thought to have come from East Asia centuries ago, has long, thin, curly pods which can exceed 20 cm (8 in) in length. In the 17th century, the pods were often pickled and served with meat.^[6] The München Bier variety supplies spicy seed pods that are sometimes served raw as an accompaniment to beer in Germany.^[13]

Nutritional value [edit]

Radishes are rich in ascorbic acid, folic acid, and potassium. They are a good source of vitamin B6, riboflavin, magnesium, copper, and calcium. One cup of sliced red radish bulbs provides approximately 20 cal, largely from carbohydrates.^[14]

Uses [edit]

Cooking [edit]

Ginisang Radish Labanos with ground beef (La Familia, Baliuag, Bulacan).

The most commonly eaten portion is the napiform taproot, although the entire plant is edible and the tops can be used as a leaf vegetable. It can also be eaten as a sprout.^[15]

The bulb of the radish is usually eaten raw, although tougher specimens can be steamed. The raw flesh has a crisp texture and a pungent, peppery flavor, caused by glucosinolates and the enzyme myrosinase which combine when chewed to form allyl isothiocyanates, also present in mustard, horseradish, and wasabi.^[16]

Radish leaves are sometimes used in recipes, like potato soup or as a sauteed side dish. They are also found to benefit homemade juices; some recipes even calling for them in fruit based mixtures.

Radishes may be used in salads,^[17] as well as in many European dishes.

Industry [edit]

The seeds of the Raphanus sativus species can be pressed to extract seed oil. Wild radish seeds contain up to 48% oil content, and while not suitable for human consumption the oil is a potential source of biofuel.^[18] The oilseed radish grows well in cool climates.^[19]

Culture [edit]

Citizens of Oaxaca, Mexico, celebrate the radish in a festival called Noche de los Rábanos (Night of the Radishes) on December 23 as a part of Christmas celebrations. Locals carve religious and popular figures out of radishes and display them in the town square.^[20]

See also [edit]

• Nanakusa-no-sekku
• Raphanin
• Daikon (i.e. White Radish, Japanese radish, Oriental radish, Chinese radish, lo bok or Mooli )

References [edit]

Cited literature [edit]

• Dixon, Geoffrey R. (2007). Vegetable Brassicas and Related Crucifers. Crop Production Science in Horticulture. Volume 14. CAB International. ISBN 978-0-85199-395-9. 

Sakurajima daikon (桜島大根^?) is one of the local products of Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan. It is the biggest daikon variety in the world, as confirmed by the Guinness Book of Records. Its regular weight is about 6 kilograms although big ones can be as much as 45 kg (99 lb). It grows as large as 50 cm (20 in) in diameter.^[2] It is grown on Sakurajima so it was named Sakurajima daikon. The people there also call it shimadekon (island daikon).

There are three kinds of varieties, early, middle and late, but most are the last.^[3] The seeding period is from last August to first September and the harvest season is from December to February. In order to grow it big, care needs to be taken with the volcanic ash soils.

Uses

Sakurajima daikon has a fine texture and is low in fiber. It is sweeter than the other daikon varieties. The typical cooking style is simmering such as furofuki daikon.^[4] Also as preserved foods, kiriboshi daikon and tsukemono are famous. The big size of tsukemono, senmaizuke is sold in souvenir shops in Kagoshima.

History

There are three theories about its development.

1. The origin from hōryō daikon in Aichi Prefecture.
2. The origin from original wild daikon in Sakurajima.
3. The origin from kokubu daikon (hamanoichi daikon).

A piece of paper in 1804 about Sakurajima daikon is brought down in Kagoshima, so it is sure that has been cultured before then at least. The main production was north-west of Sakurajima but it was moved to the north later. About 1200 farm houses had about 200ha of growing area in sum total in the high season. Sakurajima daikon was one of the precious commercial crops, because Sakurajima’s fields are not good for rice cropping, so it was shipped out to Kagoshima city. Also, in every harvest season, the market called toikae (means exchange in Kagoshima dialect) was held in Kajiki (now part of Aira District) and people traded Sakurajima daikon with straw.

However, the main crop was shifted to satsuma (mikan) from Sakurajima daikon, because the area of Sakurajima suffered big damage in the 1914 eruption, and its growing area was decreased to about 30ha in 1955. Furthermore, its growing area was decreased to about 1.5ha for frequently ash falls from then to 2001.

The main growing districts of now are the suburbs of Kagoshima city and Kirishima city. Because of fewer eruptions recently, the growing area has been extended.

References