I’m not a radish fan. Someone just gave me about 6 very large locally grown ones. Most likely I will give them away tomorrow when I see a bunch of people, some of whom probably like the damn things. Is there a culinary alternative? What might I do with radishes that would convince me they taste good? I’d be happy to expand my horizons.
I am not a picky eater, but radishes in salads (the only way I’ve ever had them) strike me as an unwelcome “bite.” The crunch is great, but the sharp taste is kinda yuck, in my opinion.
The home ones seem to be a bit “spicier,” for lack of a better word. I’d probably try chopping them up and mixing them with some squash to flavor it up.
Yup, butter and salt really elevate raw radishes, and I say that as someone who’s really not a fan of radishes, specially because of the “bite” already mentioned.
But as a fan of butter, I’m good with almost any delivery vehicle.
Somewhat similarly, you can use two slices of toast for a radish sandwich. Slice the radishes thin, butter one slice of toast, put Miracle Whip on the other, arrange the radish slices on one side, add salt and finely-ground white pepper to the radish slices, and there you go. You could also add a lettuce leaf and/or a couple of tomato slices too, if you like.
What are radishes for you? I know them from small and red and hot-ish in salads or brezels over yellow, white, violet and blue-ish and all kind of sizes. Japanese radishes can have funny patterns inside in pink and red when you cut them up. Some are good raw, some pickled, some fermented, to make soups creamy instead of potatoes, braised, roasted, glazed, grilled…
What do yours look like?
Here’s a recipe I hand out at market, which I got from a friend of mine.
Jayanthi’s Crunchy Radish
Needed:
Frying pan or wok
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon mustard seed
1 small onion, or about 3 bunching onions
1 or 2 garlic greens with bulbs, or garlic scapes, or cloves of garlic
2 bunches radish (about 10 to 12 radishes) (or 2 to 4 watermelon radish)
Salt and pepper to taste
Chop coarsely the onions, garlic, and radish.
Put oil in the pan on medium heat.
When oil is hot, add mustard seed.
When the mustard seeds splutter, add onion and garlic.
Sauté for 3 to 5 minutes till edges of the onions are brown.
Add the radish; mix well; add salt and pepper to taste.
Cook covered for about 3 to 4 minutes.
Once the radish seems soft, remove lid and turn up heat. Sauté on high heat a couple more minutes.
The radish will be soft yet crunchy; mustard seed will also be crunchy.
For best results, cook immediately before serving.
Entire cooking and preparation time is less than 15 minutes.
It’s important that the radishes are of similar size, or cut into similar size pieces; if not the smaller ones will be burnt before the larger ones are done.