Daikon or mooli, ''

Raphanus sativus The radish (''Raphanus raphanistrum'' subsp. ''sativus'') is an edible root vegetable of the family Brassicaceae that was domesticated in Asia prior to Roman times. Radishes are grown and consumed throughout the world, being mostly eaten raw ...

var. In botanical nomenclature, variety (abbreviated var.; in la, varietas) is a taxonomic rank below that of species and subspecies, but above that of form. As such, it gets a three-part infraspecific name. It is sometimes recommended that the ...

''longipinnatus,'' is a mild-flavored

winter radish The radish (''Raphanus raphanistrum'' subsp. ''sativus'') is an edible root vegetable of the family Brassicaceae that was domesticated in Asia prior to Roman times. Radishes are grown and consumed throughout the world, being mostly eaten raw ...

usually characterized by fast-growing leaves and a long, white, root. Originally native to continental

East Asia East Asia is the eastern region of Asia, which is defined in both geographical and ethno-cultural terms. The modern states of East Asia include China, Japan, Mongolia, North Korea, South Korea, and Taiwan. China, North Korea, South Korea and ...

, daikon is harvested and consumed throughout the region, as well as in

South Asia South Asia is the southern subregion of Asia, which is defined in both geographical and ethno-cultural terms. The region consists of the countries of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.;;;;;;;; ...

, and is available internationally. In some locations, daikon is planted for its ability to break up compacted soils and recover nutrients, but is not harvested.

Names

In culinary contexts, ''daikon'' ( ja, 大根, lit=big root) or are the most common names in all forms of English. Historical ties to South Asia permit ''mooli'' () as a general synonym in English. The generic terms white radish, winter radish, Oriental radish, long white radish, and other terms are also used. Other synonyms usually vary by region or describe regional varieties of the vegetable. When it is necessary to distinguish the usual Japanese form from others, it is sometimes known as

Japanese radish is a generic term for radish in Japanese language. For example, European radish is called in Japan. In the West, the word ''daikon'' sometimes refers to long white Asian radish varieties and sometimes Japanese radish varieties. When it is nece ...

.Robert Bailey Thomas.
The Old Farmer's Almanac.
' p. 28. The vegetable's

Chinese Chinese can refer to: * Something related to China * Chinese people, people of Chinese nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity **''Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic concept of the Chinese nation ** List of ethnic groups in China, people of va ...

names are still uncommon in English. In most forms of

Chinese cuisine Chinese cuisine encompasses the numerous cuisines originating from China, as well as overseas cuisines created by the Chinese diaspora. Because of the Chinese diaspora and historical power of the country, Chinese cuisine has influenced many ot ...

, it is usually known as ''bái luóbo'' (Chinese white radish). Although in

Cantonese Cantonese ( zh, t=廣東話, s=广东话, first=t, cy=Gwóngdūng wá) is a language within the Chinese (Sinitic) branch of the Sino-Tibetan languages originating from the city of Guangzhou (historically known as Canton) and its surrounding are ...

and

Malaysian cuisine Malaysian cuisine consists of cooking traditions and practices found in Malaysia, and reflects the multi-ethnic makeup of its population. The vast majority of Malaysia's population can roughly be divided among three major ethnic groups: Mala ...

, it is encountered as ''lobak'' or ''lo pak'', which are

pronunciations of the general Chinese term for "radish" or "carrot" (). In the cuisines of

Hokkien The Hokkien () variety of Chinese is a Southern Min language native to and originating from the Minnan region, where it is widely spoken in the south-eastern part of Fujian in southeastern mainland China. It is one of the national languages in ...

and Teochew-speaking areas such as

Singapore Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, borde ...

, Thailand and Taiwan, it is also known as ''chai tow'' or ''chai tau'' (). In any of these, it may also simply be referred to as "radish", with the regional variety implied by context. In English-speaking countries, it is also sometimes marketed as icicle radish. In mainland China and Singapore, the

calque In linguistics, a calque () or loan translation is a word or phrase borrowed from another language by literal word-for-word or root-for-root translation. When used as a verb, "to calque" means to borrow a word or phrase from another language wh ...

white carrot or

misnomer A misnomer is a name that is incorrectly or unsuitably applied. Misnomers often arise because something was named long before its correct nature was known, or because an earlier form of something has been replaced by a later form to which the name ...

''carrot'' is sometimes used, owing to the similarity of the vegetables' names in Mandarin and Hokkien. This variant inspired the title for a popular guidebook on Singaporean

street food Street food is ready-to-eat food or drinks sold by a hawker, or vendor, in a street or at other public places, such as markets or fairs. It is often sold from a portable food booth, food cart, or food truck and is meant for immediate consumption ...

, ''There's No Carrot in Carrot Cake'', which refers to ''

chai tow kway ''Chai tow kway'' is a common dish or dim sum of Teochew cuisine in Chaoshan, China. It is also popular in Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Taiwan and Vietnam, consisting of stir-fried cubes of radish cake. Ingredients It is made w ...

'', a kind of cake made from daikon. In

North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Car ...

, it is primarily grown not for food, but as a fallow crop, with the roots left unharvested to prevent

soil compaction In geotechnical engineering, soil compaction is the process in which stress applied to a soil causes densification as air is displaced from the pores between the soil grains. When stress is applied that causes densification due to water (or other ...

; the leaves (if harvested) are used as

animal fodder Fodder (), also called provender (), is any agricultural foodstuff used specifically to feed domesticated livestock, such as cattle, rabbits, sheep, horses, chickens and pigs. "Fodder" refers particularly to food given to the animals (includi ...

. The official general name used by the

United States Department of Agriculture The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is the United States federal executive departments, federal executive department responsible for developing and executing federal laws related to farming, forestry, rural economic development, ...

is oilseed radish, but this is only used in non-culinary contexts. Other English terms employed when daikon is being used as

animal feed Animal feed is food given to domestic animals, especially livestock, in the course of animal husbandry. There are two basic types: fodder and forage. Used alone, the word ''feed'' more often refers to fodder. Animal feed is an important input to ...

or as a soil ripper are "forage radish", "fodder radish", and "tillage radish".Natural Resources Conservation Service. PLANTS Database.
Plant Fact Sheet: Oilseed Radish, ''Raphanus sativus'' L.
. United States Dep't of Agriculture, 2012. Accessed 22 June 2014.Natural Resources Conservation Service. PLANTS Database.
Plant Guide: Oilseed Radish, ''Raphanus sativus'' L.
. United States Dep't of Agriculture, 2012. Accessed 22 June 2014. In

Hong Kong Hong Kong ( (US) or (UK); , ), officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China ( abbr. Hong Kong SAR or HKSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China on the eastern Pearl River Delt ...

, the misnomer turnip is also used. This name lends its name to the dish "

turnip cake Turnip cake is a Chinese dim sum dish. The less commonly used radish cake is a more accurate name, as Western-style turnips are not used in the dish but rather shredded radish (typically Chinese radish) and plain rice flour. It is traditionally ...

Varieties

A number of nonwhite varieties occur. The Cantonese ''lobak'', ''lo pak'', etc. sometimes refer to the usual Chinese form, but is also applied to a form of daikon with light green coloration of the top area of the root around the leaves. The

Korean radish ''Mu'' or Korean radish is a variety of white radish with a firm crunchy texture. Although ''mu'' () is also a generic term for radishes in Korean, the word is usually used in its narrow sense, referring to the white radish, or more specificall ...

, also called ''mu'', has similar pale green shade halfway down from the top, and are generally shorter, stouter, and sturdier, with denser flesh and softer leaves. Both are often spicier than the long white radishes. The

heirloom In popular usage, an heirloom is something that has been passed down for generations through family members. Examples are a Family Bible, antiques, weapons or jewellery. The term originated with the historical principle of an heirloom in ...

watermelon radish is another Chinese variety of daikon with a dull green exterior, but a bright rose or

fuchsia ''Fuchsia'' () is a genus of flowering plants that consists mostly of shrubs or small trees. The first to be scientifically described, '' Fuchsia triphylla'', was discovered on the Caribbean island of Hispaniola (Haiti and the Dominican Republi ...

-colored center. Its Chinese name ''xīnlǐměi luóbó'') is sometimes irregularly

romanized Romanization or romanisation, in linguistics, is the conversion of text from a different writing system to the Roman (Latin) script, or a system for doing so. Methods of romanization include transliteration, for representing written text, and ...

as the ''shinrimei'' radish and sometimes translated as the "beauty heart", "beautiful heart inside", or "roseheart" radish. File:Chinese Radish.jpg, A radish growing in China File:Sakurajima daikon.jpg, ''Sakurajima'' radishes File:Chinese_radish_p1150393.jpg, Sliced watermelon radish File:Vladimir Zuev (professor of TSAU) hold on daikon growing in Uzbekistan.JPG, Professor Vladimir Zuev displays a new daikon variety ''Kuz hadyasi'' in Uzbekistan

Cultivation

The Chinese and Indian varieties tolerate higher temperatures than the Japanese one. These varieties also grow well at lower elevations in East Africa. If moisture is abundant, it can grow quickly; otherwise, the flesh becomes overly tough and pungent. The variety ''Long White Icicle'' is available as seed in Britain, and will grow very successfully in Southern England, producing roots resembling a

parsnip The parsnip (''Pastinaca sativa'') is a root vegetable closely related to carrot and parsley, all belonging to the flowering plant family Apiaceae. It is a biennial plant usually grown as an annual. Its long taproot has cream-colored skin an ...

by midsummer in good garden soil in an average year. 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. Certain varieties of daikon can be grown as a winter

cover crop In agriculture, cover crops are plants that are planted to cover the soil rather than for the purpose of being harvested. Cover crops manage soil erosion, soil fertility, soil quality, water, weeds, pests, diseases, biodiversity and wildlife i ...

and

green manure In agriculture, a green manure is a crop specifically produced to be incorporated into the soil while still green. Typically, the green manure's biomass is incorporated with a plow or disk, as is often done with (brown) manure. The primary goal ...

. These varieties are often named "tillage radish" because the plant grows a huge, penetrating root which effectively performs deep cultivation. The roots bring nutrients lower in the soil profile up into the higher reaches, and are good nutrient scavengers, so they are good partners with

legume A legume () is a plant in the family Fabaceae (or Leguminosae), or the fruit or seed of such a plant. When used as a dry grain, the seed is also called a pulse. Legumes are grown agriculturally, primarily for human consumption, for livestock f ...

s instead of grasses; if harsh winters occur, the root will decompose while in the soil, releasing early nitrogen stores in the spring.

Culinary use

In Japan, many types of pickles are made with daikon roots, including ''

takuan ''Takuan'' (; also spelled ''takuwan''), or ''takuan-zuke'' (; 'pickled takuan'), known as ''danmuji'' () in the context of Korean cuisine, is a pickled preparation of daikon radish. As a popular part of traditional Japanese cuisine, ''takuan ...

'' and ''

bettarazuke is a type of pickled daikon popular in Tokyo, a sort of tsukemono. It is made by pickling daikon with sugar, salt, and sake without filtering koji. The name ''bettarazuke'' is taken from the stickiness of koji left over from the pickling proce ...

''. Daikon roots can be served raw, in salads, or as ''

sashimi is a Japanese delicacy consisting of fresh raw fish or meat sliced into thin pieces and often eaten with soy sauce. Origin The word ''sashimi'' means "pierced body", i.e. "刺身" = ''sashimi'', where 刺し = ''sashi'' (pierced, stuck) ...

s , which is prepared by meticulous . is frequently used as a garnish, often mixed into various dippings such as ''

ponzu is a citrus-based sauce commonly used in Japanese cuisine. It is tart, with a thin, watery consistency and nearly colorless. or is ponzu with soy sauce () added, and the mixed dark brown product is widely referred to as simply . The term ...

'', a soy sauce and citrus juice condiment. The pink spicy is daikon grated with

chili pepper Chili peppers (also chile, chile pepper, chilli pepper, or chilli), from Nahuatl '' chīlli'' (), are varieties of the berry-fruit of plants from the genus ''Capsicum'', which are members of the nightshade family Solanaceae, cultivated for ...

. Simmered dishes are also popular such as ''

oden is a type of nabemono (Japanese one-pot dishes), consisting of several ingredients such as boiled eggs, daikon, konjac, and processed fishcakes stewed in a light, soy-flavored dashi broth. Oden was originally what is now commonly ca ...

''. Daikon that has been shredded and dried (a common method of preserving food in Japan) is called . Daikon radish sprouts () are used raw for salad or garnishing ''

''. Daikon leaves are frequently eaten as a green vegetable. They are thorny when raw, so softening methods such as

pickling Pickling is the process of preserving or extending the shelf life of food by either anaerobic fermentation in brine or immersion in vinegar. The pickling procedure typically affects the food's texture and flavor. The resulting food is called a ...

and

stir frying Stir frying () is a cooking technique in which ingredients are fried in a small amount of very hot oil while being stirred or tossed in a wok. The technique originated in China and in recent centuries has spread into other parts of Asia and th ...

are common. The daikon leaf is one of the

Festival of Seven Herbs The Festival of Seven Herbs or ''Nanakusa no sekku'' ( ja, ) is the long-standing Japanese custom of eating seven-herb rice porridge (七草粥, ''nanakusa-gayu'', lit. "7 Herbs Rice-Congee") on January 7 ('' Jinjitsu''); one of the ''Gosekk ...

, where it is called ''suzushiro''. In Chinese cuisine

and ''

'' are made with daikon. The variety called ''mooli'' has a high water content, and some cookbooks recommend salting (or sweetening, depending on the region and context) and draining it before it is cooked. Sometimes, ''mooli'' is used as a medium for elaborately carved garnishes. More commonly, daikon is referred as ''bailuobo'' (白蘿蔔) in Mandarin or ''lobak'' in

. ''Bailuobo'' is used in a variety of dishes for its unique and mild flavour after being boiled and cooked. For soups, ''bailuobo'' can be seen in daikon and pork rib soup (白蘿蔔排骨湯), daikon and tomato soup, (白蘿蔔番茄湯), daikon and tofu soup (白蘿蔔豆腐湯), etc. Delicacies such as "shredded daikon" (白蘿蔔絲) and "cut daikon" (白蘿蔔塊) are popular domestic dishes too. Similar to Japanese cuisine, there are many types of pickles (in Mandarin Chinese: 咸菜 ''xiáncài'' / 榨菜 ''zhàcài'') made with daikon, for example "sour-sweet cut daikon" (酸甜白蘿蔔塊), "spicy daikon" (麻辣白蘿蔔), ''daikon zhacai'' (白蘿蔔榨菜), etc. In

North India North India is a loosely defined region consisting of the northern part of India. The dominant geographical features of North India are the Indo-Gangetic Plain and the Himalayas, which demarcate the region from the Tibetan Plateau and Central ...

, daikon is a popular ingredient used to make '' sabzi'', stuffed ''

parantha Paratha () is a flatbread native to South Asia, prevalent throughout the modern-day nations of India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Maldives, Afghanistan, Myanmar, Malaysia, Singapore, Mauritius, Fiji, Guyana, Suriname, and Trinidad a ...

s'', ''

pakoda Pakora () is a spiced fritter originating from the Indian subcontinent. They are sold by street vendors and served in restaurants in South Asia and UK. It consists of items, often vegetables such as potatoes and onions, coated in seasoned gram ...

s'', salads, pickles, and as garnish. The plant's leaves are used to make ''

dal In Indian cuisine, ''dal'' (also spelled ''daal'' or ''dhal''; pronunciation: , Hindi: दाल, Urdu: ) are dried, split pulses (e.g., lentils, peas, and beans) that do not require soaking before cooking. India is the largest producer of pu ...

'' and ''

kadhi Kadhi or karhi is a dish popularly consumed in South Asia. It consists of a thick gravy based on gram flour, and contains vegetable fritters called pakoras, to which dahi (yogurt) is added to give it a bit of sour taste. It is often eaten wit ...

'', among other dishes. In

South India South India, also known as Dakshina Bharata or Peninsular India, consists of the peninsular southern part of India. It encompasses the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana, as well as the union territo ...

, daikon is the principal ingredient in a variety of ''sambar'', in which roundels of the radish are boiled with onions,

tamarind Tamarind (''Tamarindus indica'') is a Legume, leguminous tree bearing edible fruit that is probably indigenous to tropical Africa. The genus ''Tamarindus'' is monotypic taxon, monotypic, meaning that it contains only this species. It belongs ...

pulp, lentils, and a special spice powder. When cooked, it can release a very strong odor. This soup, called ''mullangi sambar'' (, ; literally, "radish sambar") is very popular and is often mixed with rice. In

Vietnamese cuisine Vietnamese cuisine encompasses the foods and beverages of Vietnam. Meals feature a combination of five fundamental tastes ( vi, ngũ vị, links=no, label=none): sweet, salty, bitter, sour, and spicy. The distinctive nature of each dish reflec ...

, sweet and sour pickled daikon and carrots ( or ''đồ chua'') are a common condiment in ''

bánh mì In Vietnamese cuisine, or banh mi (, ; , "bread") is a short baguette with thin, crisp crust and soft, airy texture. It is often split lengthwise and filled with savory ingredients like a submarine sandwich and served as a meal, called ''bánh ...

'' sandwiches. In the Philippines, the sour stew ''

sinigang ''Sinigang'' is a Filipino soup or stew characterized by its sour and savory taste. It is most often associated with tamarind (Filipino: ''sampalok''), although it can use other sour fruits and leaves as the souring agent. It is one of the more ...

'' may include daikon, known locally as ''labanos''. In

Pakistani cuisine Pakistani cuisine ( ur, , romanized: ''pākistānī pakwān'') can be characterized by a blend of various regional cooking traditions from South Asia, Central and Western Asia, as well as elements from its Mughal legacy. The country's va ...

, 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 Chaat masala, also spelled chat masala, is a powder spice mix, or masala, originating from South Asia, typically used to add flavor to chaat. It typically consists of amchoor (dried mango powder), cumin, coriander, dried ginger, salt (often black ...

''. In

Punjab Punjab (; Punjabi: پنجاب ; ਪੰਜਾਬ ; ; also romanised as ''Panjāb'' or ''Panj-Āb'') is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent, comprising ...

province, daikon is used to stuff pan-fried breads known as ''paratha''. Daikon's seed pods, called ''moongray'' in local languages, are also eaten as a stir-fried dish across the country. In

Bangladesh Bangladesh (}, ), officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the eighth-most populous country in the world, with a population exceeding 165 million people in an area of . Bangladesh is among the mos ...

, fresh daikon is often finely grated and mixed with fresh chili,

coriander Coriander (;

, flaked steamed fish, lime juice, and salt. This light, refreshing preparation served alongside meals is known as ''mulo bhorta''. Fermenting radish normally releases a strong and noxious smell like bad

flatulence Flatulence, in humans, is the expulsion of gas from the intestines via the anus, commonly referred to as farting. "Flatus" is the medical word for gas generated in the stomach or bowels. A proportion of intestinal gas may be swallowed environm ...

or rotting cabbage. File:Chai tow kway.jpg, ''

Chai tow kway ''Chai tow kway'' is a common dish or dim sum of Teochew cuisine in Chaoshan, China. It is also popular in Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Taiwan and Vietnam, consisting of stir-fried cubes of radish cake. Ingredients It is made w ...

'', stir-fried cubes of radish cake File:Mizuna&Daikon.jpg, Japanese ''

mizuna , kyona, Japanese mustard greens, or spider mustard, Mark Bittman is a cultivar of ''Brassica rapa'' var. ''niposinica''. Description and use Possessing dark green, serrated leaves, mizuna is described as having, when raw, a "piquant, mild p ...

'' and daikon salad File:Pickled daikon.jpg, ''Mohn la jin'', Burmese pickled radish File:Buri Daikon.jpg, ''Buri daikon'', Japan File:Daikon oden and Beer by shrkflickr in kyoto.jpg, ''Daikon oden'' in Kyoto, Japan File:Daikon Chips (4258631306).jpg, Daikon chips

Nutritional information

Daikon is mostly water, and very low in

food energy Food energy is chemical energy that animals (including humans) derive from their food to sustain their metabolism, including their muscle, muscular activity. Most animals derive most of their energy from aerobic respiration, namely combining the ...

. A 100-gram serving contains only 76 kilojoules. Daikon also contains the active

enzyme Enzymes () are proteins that act as biological catalysts by accelerating chemical reactions. The molecules upon which enzymes may act are called substrates, and the enzyme converts the substrates into different molecules known as products. A ...

myrosinase Myrosinase (, ''thioglucoside glucohydrolase'', ''sinigrinase'', and ''sinigrase'') is a family of enzymes involved in plant defense against herbivores, specifically the mustard oil bomb. The three-dimensional structure has been elucidated and is ...

Agricultural use

Tillage radish leaves behind a cavity in the soil when the large tap root decays, making it easier for the following year's crops, such as potatoes, to bore deeper into the soil. Potatoes grown in a rotation with tillage radish do not experience growth restrictions associated with having a shallow

hardpan In soil science, agriculture and gardening, hardpan or soil pan is a dense layer of soil, usually found below the uppermost topsoil layer. There are different types of hardpan, all sharing the general characteristic of being a distinct soil layer ...

soil, as the tillage radish can break the hardpan, making transfer of water and other important nutrients much easier for the root system. Nutrient retention is another important feature of tillage radish. The large tap root is used to retain macro- and micro-nutrients, that would otherwise have the potential to be lost to

leaching Leaching is the loss or extraction of certain materials from a carrier into a liquid (usually, but not always a solvent). and may refer to: * Leaching (agriculture), the loss of water-soluble plant nutrients from the soil; or applying a small amou ...

during the time when the field would otherwise be left empty. The nutrients from the root become readily available for the following year's crop upon the decay of the radish, which can boost yields and reduce fertilizer costs. Daikons are also used as a

forage Forage is a plant material (mainly plant leaves and stems) eaten by grazing livestock. Historically, the term ''forage'' has meant only plants eaten by the animals directly as pasture, crop residue, or immature cereal crops, but it is also used m ...

around the world. As a forage they also have the side benefit of weed suppression. Although used elsewhere for much longer, daikon as a forage is a recent introduction in

Massachusetts Massachusetts (Massachusett language, Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut assachusett writing systems, məhswatʃəwiːsət'' English: , ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is the most populous U.S. state, state in the New England ...

field practice.

Other use

Daikon is used in preparing metal surfaces for chemical patination, for example under the

Rokushō is a traditional Japanese chemical compound used in the '' niiro'' process for artificially inducing patination in decorative non-ferrous metals, especially several copper alloys, with the results being metals of the ''irogane'' class. These "c ...

process.

References

External links

Asian Radish at NutritionData.com
{{Authority control Asian radishes Leaf vegetables Root vegetables Japanese cuisine terms Asian vegetables Japanese vegetables