Japanese Takuan Pickle Food

TAKUAN

Steps:

• Peel the radish and then slice it thinly as desired (see notes).
• Sprinkle with salt and leave for 2 hours in order to draw out moisture.
• Place the salt, sugar, vinegar, water and turmeric in a saucepan and bring to a boil.
• Continue stirring the pickling mixture until all the salt and sugar have dissolved. Set aside to cool down.
• Squeeze the excess moisture out of the radish and place the vegetable in a sterilised, airtight storage container.
• Pour in the pickling liquid, ensure all surfaces of the radish are covered.
• Wait for at least 2 days, but preferably 1 month, for the flavours to develop.
• Serve with a bowl of rice or miso soup.

TAKUAN - JAPANESE YELLOW PICKLED RADISH

Steps:

• Peel the daikon, removing both ends and cut down the centre. Slice into half moons.
• Place them all in a large ziplock bag. Add sugar, salt, vinegar and yellow food dye (or tumeric).
• Seal the bag and massage for a few minutes until the daikon is evenly coated.
• Wrap up and place in an airtight container in the fridge (to reduce smell). Pickles will be ready in 24 hours minimum and the flavour will only get better each day after.

JAPANESE TAKUAN PICKLE

Steps:

• Wash daikon well. Bundle two daikon by leaves and using clothes line dry in a location with sun and good ventiliation. Bring them indoors at night. Takes 1 week drying.
• After 1 week drying, mix together rice bran or nuka, salt, and sugar or brown sugar (organic is good). Cut off the leaves and keep for use later.
• Place about 1-2 cm layer of nuka mixture in the bottom of a large pickling container. Place daikon neatly in layers on top of the mixture.
• Top off with the remainder of nuka mixture. Place the leaves from the daikon on top.
• Place a heavy plastic over the the mixture. Place a heavy rock or another object for weight. The weight needed is usually 2-3 times the weight of daikon. If 1 daikon weighs 1 pound then about 2-3 pound weight.
• After 1 month it is ready to slice and eat. See photos of the steps at http://www.recipezaar.com/bb/viewtopic.zsp?t=320927.
• Serving is a total guess.