boiled daikon rounds topped with sesame sauce

June 25, 2013 • Nancy Wolfson-Moche

I fasted today so my “break fast” was this evening. This daikon dish is substantial for dinner or (morning) breakfast. It was refreshing after a long, hot summer day.

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serves 4-6

INgredients

For the daikon:

1-2 daikon radishes

2-3 Tablespoons coarse sea salt

a few sprigs cilantro for garnish

For the sauce:

1 cup tahini

1/3 cup chopped cilantro

¼ cup honey or maple syrup

3 Tblspns soy sauce

3 Tblspns brown rice vinegar

1 garlic clove, peeled

1 Tblspn peeled, chopped gingerroot

1 Tblspn toasted sesame oil

¼ tspn cayenne pepper plus additional to taste

1/3  cup water plus additional as needed

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Process

Fill a medium sized pot with water, cook it on a medium to high flame and bring to a roiling boil.  (Note: you can cover the pot to speed up the boiling process.)

While the water boils, wash and clean the daikon radishes. Be sure to cut away any tiny white strings along the root.

Slice the daikon diagonally into ½ or ¾ inch rounds.

When the water boils, add the coarse sea salt.

Drop the rounds into the boiling water and let boil uncovered until the daikon rises to the surface of the water.  As each round comes to the surface, remove it with a slotted spoon or mesh skimmer.

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Make the sauce:

In a blender combine the tahini, cilantro, maple syrup, soy sauce, rice vinegar, garlic, ginger, oil, cayenne pepper and water, and puree.  Add additional water, as needed, 1 Tablespoon at a time, until you have a creamy sauce. Add more cayenne to taste, if desired.

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Arrange the daikon on a large plate.  Place a dollop (or more, to taste) of sauce on each round. Use any leftover cilantro to garnish.

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This is a cleansing dish; chew each mouthful well to reap the full benefit.

Icing on the Cake: Testimonials

I loved Ms. Nancy’s cooking class so much.! I have been in this cooking class for two years and I would love to sign up for another one. I tried a lot of new foods like winter squash, cardamom, Brussels sprouts and kale. My favorite salad was the kiwi, carrot, radish salad.
Not only did we cook and eat, we also did labs about food. We used rulers to measure the size of plants. We also explored stone fruits and their ripe season. Now in my house we have window boxes and I am growing cherry tomatoes and basil.
I learned that we can use a lot of different tools to cook, not just our hands and senses. We used safety knives, potato peelers and a carrot sharpener (I wonder if you could sharpen a pencil with it?) !!!
Because of this class I can help papi make dinner and I will try any new food at least once to see if I like it. Thank you, Ms. Nancy for making cooking fun and interesting and helping me be excited about food.

- Love, K (a 7-year-old boy).