Daikon

Daikon, also called mooli (scientific name Raphanus sativus var. longipinnatus), is a winter radish with a mild taste. It grows quickly above ground and produces a long, white, taproot-shaped root. Originally from continental East Asia, it is now grown and eaten around the world. In some places, farmers leave daikon in the ground instead of harvesting it, using the roots to break up compacted soil and recover nutrients.

Names

The vegetable is most commonly known as daikon or mooli, the latter name reflecting historical links to South Asia. It is also called white radish, winter radish, Oriental radish, or long white radish, though these names can vary by region or refer to specific varieties. When distinguishing the usual Japanese form, it may be called Japanese radish. Chinese names are rarely used in English; in most Chinese cuisines, it is known as white radish or simply radish (in Cantonese, lobak or lo pak).

In Min Chinese-speaking communities—such as Hokkien and Teochew speakers in Singapore, Thailand, and Taiwan, as well as Wenzhounese speakers—it is called chai tow or chai tau. In English-speaking countries, it is sometimes sold as icicle radish. Other regional names include Taiwanese Hakka "little radish" and Zhongshan Min "radish-vegetable."

Several Chinese-derived terms appear in East Asian Englishes. In Singapore, the calque "white carrot" or simply "carrot" is used, because the Mandarin and Hokkien words for carrot literally mean "occidental radish." This inspired the title of a guidebook on Singaporean street food, There's No Carrot in Carrot Cake, referring to chai tow kway, a cake made with daikon. In Hong Kong, the misnomer "turnip" is used, giving its name to "turnip cake," which is actually the same dish.

In North America, daikon is mainly grown as a fallow crop rather than for food; the roots are left unharvested to prevent soil compaction, and the leaves, if harvested, are used as animal feed. The United States Department of Agriculture calls it oilseed radish in non-culinary contexts. Other English terms for daikon used as feed or soil ripper include forage radish, fodder radish, and tillage radish.

Varieties

Several nonwhite varieties exist. The Cantonese lobak or lo pak sometimes refers to the usual Chinese form but also to a daikon with light green coloring near the top of the root. The Korean radish, called mu, has a similar pale green shade halfway down, is shorter, stouter, and sturdier, with denser flesh and softer leaves.

Both are often spicier than long white radishes. The heirloom watermelon radish is a Chinese variety with a dull green exterior and a bright rose or fuchsia center. Its Chinese name, xīnlǐměi luóbó, is sometimes romanized as shinrimei radish or translated as "beauty heart," "beautiful heart inside," or "roseheart" radish.

Cultivation

Chinese and Indian daikon varieties tolerate higher temperatures than Japanese ones and grow well at lower elevations in East Africa. With abundant moisture, daikon grows quickly; otherwise, the flesh becomes tough and pungent. The Long White Icicle variety is available as seed in Britain and grows well in southern England, producing roots resembling parsnips by midsummer in good soil. Roots can be stored for weeks without leaves if lifted and kept cool and dry.

Left in the ground, they become woody, and whole untreated roots do not store long. Certain varieties are grown as winter cover crops and green manure, often called tillage radish because their large, penetrating roots perform deep cultivation. These roots bring up nutrients from lower in the soil and are good nutrient scavengers, pairing well with legumes rather than grasses. In harsh winters, the root decomposes in the soil, releasing nitrogen in the spring.

China

In Bangladesh, fresh daikon is finely grated and mixed with chili, coriander, flaked steamed fish, lime juice, and salt to make mulo bhorta, a light side dish. In Chinese cuisine, daikon is used in turnip cake and chai tow kway. The mooli variety has high water content, so some cookbooks recommend salting or sweetening and draining it before cooking. It is also used for elaborate carved garnishes.

In Mandarin, daikon is called bailuobo; in Cantonese, lobak. It appears in soups such as daikon and pork rib soup, daikon and tomato soup, and daikon and tofu soup. Dishes like shredded daikon and cut daikon are common at home. As in Japanese cuisine, many types of pickles are made from it.