Pickled Chrysanthemum Radish
Finely slice radish in a grid leaving the bottom intact and just marinate in sweet vinegar marinade. Pickled Chrysanthemum Radish is a great garnish for grilled fish or sautéed meat and it’s also a great side dish - even for a bento box. I have included the ingredients and steps to make Pickled Chrysanthemum Turnip (Kikka Kabu) as well. Total Time does not include the time to soak the vegetables in salty water or marinating time, both of which are included in Custom Time. Custom Time is based on the time to marinate radishes. If using turnips, Custom Time becomes 8 hours 20 minutes.
- Prep time
- 10 min
- Cook time
- 7 min
- Yield
- 8 servings
- Difficulty
- MEDIUM
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 300 ml water
- ½ tbsp salt
- 1 bunch of radish ((note 1))
- Lemon rind cut into small squares ((one per radish, note 1))
- 3 turnips ((about 250g, note 2))
- ½ red chilli (, deseeded and chopped thinly into rings)
- 100 ml dashi stock ((note 3))
- 100 ml vinegar
- 3 tbsp sugar
Instructions
- 1
Add salt to 300ml water in a bowl or a zip lock bag and mix well to dissolve.
- 2
Cut the leafy end of radish/turnip to make it flat so that the radish can sit steadily, cut side down. If there is a long root attached to the radish, trim it.
- 3
Slice turnip vertically at 2mm thick intervals from one end to the other, leaving 5mm (a bit less for radish if possible) uncut at the bottom (see note 4 for tricks).
- 4
Turn the radish/turnip 90 degrees, then slice it in the same way (note 5).
- 5
Place the turnips/radishes in the salty water for 20 minutes.
- 6
Mix the Amazu Marinade ingredients well until sugar dissolves.
- 7
Squeeze water out of each radish/turnip as much as possible and transfer them into a zip lock bag. Add the Amazu Marinade to the bag.
- 8
Seal the bag, removing as much air as possible. If using radish, marinate in the fridge for 30 minutes (note 6). Marinate overnight if using turnip.
- 9
To serve, squeeze marinade out of the radish/turnip, spread the tips of the surface to make it look like chrysanthemum petals. Place it with the connected side at the bottom with a piece of lemon/chilli slice in the centre.