I have no idea what’s come over me, but I am suddenly obsessed with radishes. Honestly, until a couple months ago I thought radishes were kind of gross: too earthy, too “dirt”-flavored, too pungent. So how did I go from despising to fantasizing practically overnight? That mystery will surely remain unsolved, but let’s focus on the positive: I’ve just added a new vegetable to my repertoire and my culinary world has grown a touch bigger.
The cool thing about discovering a new kind of produce is that you’re usually not sure how to approach it, leaving your imagination open to new ideas and experimentation. Today when I went to the market to buy more radishes, I was looking at the extremely long daikons and imagined that with their unusual length and firm texture, they would actually make pretty great noodles. Turns out I was right. Putting my funky julienne slicer to work, I created “pasta” out of a root vegetable and ditched my plans for the buckwheat soba. For anyone trying to cut back on the grains in their diet, daikon radish is a true saviour.
Ravishing Radishes
Radishes are a fabulous food for anyone looking to cleanse and detoxify. They are incredibly effective at breaking up phlegm in the body, especially those resulting from over-consumption of heavy animal products. Radishes contain a lot of water as well, so they are filling but very low in calories, making them ideal for people trying to control their weight.
In Chinese medicine radishes are used to promote digestion, break down mucous, soothe headaches and heal laryngitis. It is said that regular consumption will help prevent viral infections such as the common cold and influenza.
Radishes are a root vegetable. Most varieties grow very quickly and can be enjoyed in the spring and autumn months of the year. There are several types of radishes available at most grocery stores during their harvest seasons. Even the exotic-looking daikon (also known as the Japanese radish) is probably in the produce section, and one of those veggies you’ve always walked past because you had absolutely no idea what to do with it.
This salad is entirely simple, fresh, and raw. Three types of radish, some herbs, a basic dressing and some arame. I chose to add this sea vegetable in because of its incredible nutrient-density, beautiful colouring, and pleasant flavour. If you’re not sure about sea vegetables try this one out – arame is one of the most mild-tasting ocean edibles so it’s a good icebreaker.
Something you may not know about radishes is that you can eat the green tops. They do not store for very long, so eat them the day of purchasing or harvesting. Wash them as you would regular leaf lettuce, and shred them to add in salads. They have a pleasant bitterness that unsurprisingly tastes delicious with the root portion itself.
Triple Radish Noodle Salad
Serves 2
Ingredients:
3 cups daikon radish “noodles” (or shredded daikon radishes)
10 mixed small radishes & their tops (I chose French Breakfast and Red Globe)
4 grams (.14 oz) arame
½ cup chives
¼ cup cilantro, chopped
¼ cup almonds (soaked overnight or lightly toasted)
Dressing:
1 Tbsp. brown rice vinegar
1 Tbsp. cold-pressed sesame oil
1 tsp. honey or agave
½ tsp. sea salt
½ tsp. ginger powder
pinch of cayenne (if desired)
Directions:
1. Cover the arame with water and let soak while you prepare the rest of the salad (15-20 minutes).
2. Whisk all the dressing ingredients together in a large bowl.
3. Peel the daikon radish. Using a mandolin slicer, a julienne slicer, a spiralizer, a grater, or your excellent knife skills, cut long thin strips of radish and add them to the bowl of dressing.
4. Wash and top the other radishes reserving the greens. Slice radishes as you desire. Add them to the bowl. Toss to coat.
5. Wash radish tops and herbs. Slice thinly and add to the bowl.
6. Chop soaked almonds, or lightly toast them in a dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant. Add to the bowl. Serve immediately.
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In other news, I am teaching a series of classes in Amsterdam this June. If you’re in the area please join us – it’s going to be a blast (as usual). Check out the Facebook page for more information.
Hope to see you there!
Love and belly laughs,
Sarah B
I love this! Can’t wait to try it.
Theese veggies look so good. I love to make diverse kinds salads and this one really looks good. thank you for sharing
Ooh so nice. What a beautiful dish. I love radishes. They are simply delicious and so healthy. 🙂
Would love to hear your thoughts on their health benefits. Some great info here:
http://stirringchange.com/radish-citrus-salad/
We are heading into winter here in Australia so I have to live summer vicariously through you Northern hemisphere folk. Salad looks wonderful I’m counting the cold winter days til I can make it and enjoy it in the sun.
Love your blog! BTW, I’m hosting a vegan Sun Warrior protein powder if you’d like to enter :0)
http://therealfoodrunner.blogspot.com/2012/05/protein-powder-giveaway-grad-party.html
Wish I was in the area to sign up for the classes! This salad looks gorgeous. You really make healthy look sexy.
Having a meatless day in one week is not bad specially eating raw food. Because this can help you cleanse your palette and your body.
Looks delicious and so refreshing! I’m a fan of raw radish too. I really enjoy that bite. 🙂
i like vegetable
no meat
so attractive
hamza khanzada
Mondays won’t never be the same!
Come to Norway!
We have brown cheese and rotten fish!
Totally digging this food. Goes well with my diet, its goodbye for now diet meal delivery. 🙂
Treat is good and absolutely healthy.
I love this recipe and it’s exactly what my pregnant body is screaming for at the moment. Are you planning on having any cooking classes in Copenhagen any time soon? I would love to hook up & cook together!
I always want to buy radishes, but never know what to do with them. This looks great! Maybe I’ll take the plunge and buy them this week 🙂
I am growing radishes and would love to try it! But, little bugs have been eating the leafy greens of my radishes! That was truly the whole reason I grew them in the summer as the root is often a little woody in the hot months!
Yum – I sincerely think that radishes are the most underrated vegetables out there. They have such a crisp bite!
xoxo,
mon amy
My grandpa brought me lots of radish from his own garden last week, going to make this! Or well, an adaption of it 🙂
I bought a daikon today and now I know how I’m going to use it 🙂
Oh dear, you got to be kidding me.. At this point we are not just sharing hearts.. we are sharing minds too.. Be sure to check out Earthsprout at Facebook this week and you´ll know what I mean <3
HUGS, honey!