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Furofuki daikon

Simmered daikon with miso

Furofuki daikon (ふろふき大根): thick daikon rounds simmered in kombu broth and topped with sweet miso

In the cold months, when the daikon in Kyoto and Nerima are fat and juicy, furofuki daikon is the warming dish that steams on the dinner table: thick rounds of radish simmered slowly in kombu broth until they are almost translucent and so tender they break with chopsticks, then topped with a glossy, sweet miso sauce. It is eaten as a light main or a side with rice. A portion is about 120 kcal. The most common mistake is rushing the simmer: the daikon should be cooked through to the centre, with no white, hard core. Chef's tip: bevel the edges of each round with a peeler and score a cross on the base; the rounds keep their shape and the heat reaches the middle.
Total time
60 min
Difficulty
medium
Serves
4
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Ingredients

Serves4
  • 1 ⅓ lb daikonfrom the middle section, cut into 4 rounds 3 cm thick, peeled thickly
  • 1 tbsp uncooked ricefor the first boil
  • ⅓ oz kombua 15 cm piece
  • 4 ¼ cups water
  • ½ tsp salt

For the sweet miso

  • 3 tbsp white or red miso
  • 1 ½ tbsp sugar
  • 2 tbsp mirincontains alcohol; or 2 tbsp water and 1 tsp extra sugar
  • 2 tbsp water
  • ½ tsp yuzu or lemon zest (optional)

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What you'll need

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Method

0/5 done
  1. Step 1: Bevel the edges of each 1 ⅓ lb daikon round with a peeler and cut a shallow cross, 1 cm deep, into one side.

  2. Step 2: Put the rounds in a pan with 1 tbsp uncooked rice and enough water to cover. Bring to the boil and simmer for 15 minutes; the rice water takes away the bitterness. Drain and rinse.

    15 min
  3. Step 3: Lay ⅓ oz kombu in a clean pan, put the daikon on top and add 4 ¼ cups water and ½ tsp salt. Simmer very gently, partly covered, for 30–35 minutes, until a skewer slides through the centre with no resistance and the daikon looks translucent.

    35 min
  4. Step 4: Meanwhile, put 3 tbsp white or red miso, 1 ½ tbsp sugar, 2 tbsp mirin and 2 tbsp water in a small pan and stir over a low heat for 3–4 minutes, until glossy and as thick as ketchup; the alcohol in the mirin cooks off. Stir in ½ tsp yuzu or lemon zest.

    4 min
  5. Step 5: Serve each round in a bowl with a little of the broth, cross side up, with a spoonful of sweet miso on top.

Nutrition per serving

Calories
120 kcal
Protein
4 g
Carbs
20 g
Fat
3 g
Fibre
4 g

Nutrition values are estimates.

K
Recipe by

KrazyBadal

All recipes by this chef →

Good to know

How long does furofuki daikon take?
About 60 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 50 minutes to cook.
How many people does it serve?
4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
Is it vegan?
Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
What can I use instead of uncooked rice?
Any long-grain rice, same amount.
What can I use instead of sugar?
Caster sugar, same amount.

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