Odd Veggie in my Fridge: Daikon

As I was rummaging the aisles of my local commissary, my eyes spotted a root vegetable that you don't see too often... Daikon. I've tried this yummy Asian radish in restaurants before, but I've never actually cooked with it. Becoming more intrigued by the daikon, I placed one in my cart and happily continued my shopping in hopes of finding some inspiration. A stir-fry maybe? Or a salad? Oh the possibilities... Several days passed and the white root screamed at me from my crisper. Despite the frigid temperature outside, I was craving the snappy texture and the sweet-spicy flavor of raw daikon. (Because I was feeling too lazy to actually cook something that day) My fridge also contained some seasonal red cabbage, thus my colorful winter slaw was born! Although it's not seasonal, I did add a bunch of peppery watercress to give the slaw a nice kick. To tie it all together, I made a vinaigrette with fresh ginger to add a punch of heat since it was chilly outside. Bake up some sesame crusted salmon and you've got a complete dish!

From a nutrition perspective, daikon is packed with vitamins and minerals. One 7 inch daikon contains 61 calories, 5 grams of fiber, 124% of your Daily Value (DV) of Vitamin C, and 24% DV of folate. It's also a great source of calcium, magnesium, potassium, and copper! No excuses, go pick up a daikon today!

                         

Winter Daikon, Red Cabbage, and Watercress Slaw-

Ginger Vinaigrette:

1 inch fresh ginger, minced

1 inch fresh ginger gut into small chunks (optional)

3/4 cup rice vinegar

1/4 cup canola oil

1 Tbsp sesame oil

Kosher salt and fresh pepper to taste

3 drops Sriracha chili sauce (optional) 

-Squeeze the ginger chunks thru a garlic press to juice. Whisk all ingredients together and add chili sauce and seasonings to taste. 

Slaw:

3 cups chopped daikon (about one medium sized radish)

4 cups chopped red cabbage

3 green onions, chopped

2 cups watercress

-Add first 3 ingredients in a large bowl and combine with 3/4 cup vinaigrette. Gently toss in watercress. Makes 4 servings.