How to make Takuwan

[Kataoka]

I had to buy a 1kg piece of diakon for like 200g of oroshi. I want to use the rest of the daikon but I don't want to make oden or nishime. My thoughts were turning more to takuwan. Any old family recipes out there? Any new family recipes? How one off the back of a bottle of vinegar? Preferable without the yellow food colouring I loved as a kid.

Thanks-

Kataoka

[helenjp]

You find the rice bran, coarse salt, and coarse raw sugar and I'll find the recipe (haven't made it for a few years)...you'll have to pickle it in the fridge in this weather. Sure you wouldn't rather pickle it lightly with salt, honey, and yuzu?

[Kataoka]

You find the rice bran, coarse salt, and coarse raw sugar and I'll find the recipe (haven't made it for a few years)...you'll have to pickle it in the fridge in this weather. Sure you wouldn't rather pickle it lightly with salt, honey, and yuzu?

I my local Raleys has rice bran in bulk. What kind of coarse salt? Rock salt or kosher? Yuzu is a bit more problematic. I've only seen it as pozu shoyu, but I really haven't looked.

I guess I'm open to any recipe.

Thnak you for responding, Helen.

Kataoka

[cadmond]

I don't have a recipe, but one thing to keep in mind is that takuan (from what I remember) is made from whole daikon that has been hung outside to dry (it gets all floppy and leathery) before pickling. I'm not exactly sure on the details (like days spent outside) or even if this is part of the process today, and there might be recipes that don't involve this step. I suppose you could use a already cut radish, but I remember whole ones being used.

Good luck with this endeavor! I'll look around for some more information if I can.

[cadmond]

Sorry, this doesn't really apply to just one daikon, but here's a link to an English recipe that looks pretty authentic to me. Takuan recipe

I'd be curious if anyone knows any "cheater" takuan recipe, maybe more like the brine based pickling that the West is more accustomed to?

[Kataoka]

Thank you for that link. I tried a Nisei version using sugar, vinegar, salt, water and chili flakes. It's not too bad if I say so myself. I asked some of the Nisei ladies at my church about drying the daikon. They either laughed at me (more of a giggle) or looked at me like I had two-heads. I tasted a Hawaiian style that uses a dry mix; very nice, but no recipe.

I’ll keep trying.

Kataoka

[Sally-chan]

This is a paraphrased Recipe from Tsukemono Japanese Pickling Recipes. I have not had a chance to try this yet. I'm thinking it might be a fun winter project.

Hang daikon out to dry in the sun (2-3 weeks) until you can curl it into a U shape. Soften daikon by rolling it on a cutting board. In a bowl add nuka, salt, brown sugar and dried chili peppers and sun-dried fruit peels (persimmons or apple). Add some nuka to container, add konbu, add daikon and add greens to fill in any spaces. repeat layers and end with nuka on top. cover top with dried greens. weigh down daikon. In 5-6 days if liquid rises to surface, decrease weight to half. If there is no liquid, add more weight. Ready in 1 month as asa-zuke and 2 months the flavor should be fully ready. Ganbatte kudasai.