Like love, daikon radish is firm and crisp, slightly bitter, and quite pungent. I heart daikon for its many healing properties: it is strengthening, particularly for the kidneys and lungs, grounding, aids digestion, and is rich in B and C Vitamins. What’s not to love?
makes about 12 daikon hearts
INgredients
1 medium to large daikon radish
pinch sea salt
1 ½ teaspoons sumac
12 small drops pomegranate molasses (or pomegranate concentrate)
Process Fill a medium or large pot with water. Add a pinch of salt, cover and bring to a boil on a medium to high flame. While the water is heating, use a serrated paring knife to scrape any tiny hairs or brown spots from the skin of the daikon radish. Wash it well. Slice the radish into thin rounds, about one-quarter inch thick.
When the water is roiling boiling, add the daikon radish discs. When they float to the top, they are blanched and ready to remove. This should take about one minute. Remove them with a mesh skimmer or with a slotted spoon.
Allow them to cool. Place each disc on a cutting board. Use a sharp paring knife to carve a heart shape out of the disc: create a dimple at the top and a point at the bottom (try to cut away as little of the radish as possible).
Place a drop of pomegranate molasses on the center of each heart.
Sprinkle with about 1/8 teaspoon of sumac.
Arrange on a plate and serve.
©Nancy Wolfson-Moche 2014
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