How to cook radish

Information for radish in our free cooking ingredients collection.

Radish

The radish is a root vegetable of the mustard family, resembling beets and turnips but with a unique, peppery flavor that can range from mild to very sharp. The name comes from the Latin radix, meaning “root”. Radishes can be round, oval, or elongated, and they range from less than 1 inch to 2 feet long. Although skin color varies from white to yellow, red, purple, and black, the interior flesh is usually white.

Family - Cruciferae
Scientific name - Raphanus sativus L.
Common name - radish

High in vitamin C
A source of phytochemicals that may help prevent cancer

Varieties

Radishes are divided into spring and winter-harvested types, with additional variations in shape and color in each category. Spring radishes, which are pulled before they reach 1 inch in diameter, include the round, red Cherry Belle; the White Icicle, which is oblong, about 6 inches long, and mild in flavor; and Rainbow Mix and Easter Egg varieties, which include purple-skinned roots. Winter radishes have a stronger, more pungent flavor and a coarser texture. They are larger than spring radishes, about the weight of a turnip, and range from white to black. White varieties include the Japanese daikon, a long, carrotshaped, sharp-flavored radish.

Origin and botanical facts

Radishes are an ancient vegetable, first cultivated thousands of years ago either in the eastern Mediterranean region or in the Far East and quickly spread throughout the world. The earliest radishes to be cultivated were the black varieties. Long, tapering white radishes were first mentioned in 16th-century European literature, and about 200 years later, round radishes first appeared, along with the red-skinned types. In the United States today, California and Florida are the leading radish growers.

From the top of the root, the leaves of the radish plant form a rosette that can grow to 1 foot in height. The radish is a coolweather annual, one of the easiest vegetables to grow. Propagation is by direct seeding into a sandy soil with consistent moisture. Spring radishes can be planted as soon as the ground is soft. The fastest-growing varieties mature in about 3 weeks. Winter radishes are planted in late summer so they can mature in the cool temperatures of autumn. These larger radishes take at least 55 days to reach a reasonable size.

How to cook radish

Radishes that are firm with bright, crisp greens are the best. The leaves should be removed from the roots before storing in a perforated plastic bag in the refrigerator vegetable crisper. The roots can be stored for several weeks to a month.

In Western cuisines, radishes are eaten raw in salads or used as a colorful garnish. However, in Chinese and Japanese cuisines, radishes are a staple consumed raw, preserved, or cooked. The Japanese chop or grate daikon and use it as a condiment for sushi, sashimi, and many other dishes.

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