Japanese Food Tips

Japanese radish (daikon) is a typical Japanese vegetable, and the daikon harvested in winter is large, with some daikons weighing more than 1 kg each. Kiriboshi-daikon is daikon harvested mainly in late fall and winter, cut into thin strips and dried. Dried kiriboshi-daikon is dried daikon that has lost its water content and gained sweetness, concentrated umami and nutritional value, and is also a preserved food. Kiriboshi-daikon contains more dietary fiber and potassium than daikon, and also more calcium, which is 20 times higher than that of daikon. The most common way to eat kiriboshi-daikon is to soak it in water and then braise it with other ingredients and seasonings such as soy sauce. Such dishes are delicious because the flavor easily soaks into the braised kiriboshi-daikon. The dish using kiriboshi-daikon as it is after it has been soaked in water offers the crunchy texture of kiriboshi-daikon. Kiriboshi-daikon has such a long history that it is said to have been eaten since the Edo period (1603-1868).