Pickled Daikon with Shio Koji

• portions: 1 serving
• temps actif: 15 minutes
• temps total: 2 days 15 minutes

Ingrédients

1 ⅒ lb daikon radish (if your daikon comes with leaves on top, try this Daikon Leaves Furikake, Rice Seasoning recipe or add it to miso soup instead of chopped green onion)

1 cup water

1 Tbsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt

½ cup shio koji

¼ cup sugar

1 piece kombu (dried kelp) (6 g; 3 x 3 inches, 8 x 8 cm) 6

1 dried red chili pepper

Instructions

Gather all the ingredients.

Day 1

Combine 1 cup water and 1 Tbsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt and mix well. Peel 1.1 lb daikon radish.

Cut the daikon in half widthwise and in half lengthwise. If your daikon is thinner, you may just cut in half widthwise.

Put the daikon in a resealable plastic bag and add the salted water. Remove the air and seal tightly. Daikon has strong-smelling sulfur compounds and it gets quite smelly. If you decide not to use a resealable plastic bag, you will need a large airtight container such as a big jar that can include the daikon, saltwater, and heavy objects on top of the daikon.

Put the bag in a tray to avoid any leakage and put a heavy object on top of the bag. Here, I put a plate on top (to evenly distribute the weight) and pie weights. Set aside at room temperature overnight.

Day 2

To make the shio koji mixture, combine ½ cup shio koji and ¼ cup sugar in a 1-cup measuring cup (or bowl). Cut off the end of 1 dried red chili pepper with a knife or a pair of scissors.

Remove and discard the seeds (typically, the Japanese do not include the chili seeds and use just the pod for mild spiciness). Cut the red chili pepper into small rounds and add to the mixture.

Cut 1 piece kombu (dried kelp) into thin strips and add to the mixture. Mix all together. Set aside.

Remove the heavy objects, and take out the daikon. Discard the salt water.

Wipe off the moisture on the daikon with a paper towel.

In an airtight container that fits the daikon, pour half of your shio koji mixture into the bottom of the container. Put the daikon on top.

Add and distribute the rest of the mixture. Put the lid on and keep at the room temperature for 2–3 hours, then transfer to the refrigerator for 2–3 days.

When to Stop Pickling

You can eat the pickled daikon starting the day you add the shio koji mixture. It’s up to you when you want to stop pickling. You can take out all the daikon after one day, for example. As time passes, the daikon releases more moisture and the kombu gets more slimy. When the daikon is pickled enough to your liking, take them out and transfer to another airtight container to keep for a week or two. I usually remove and eat one piece of daikon each day and finish all of it by the 3rd day.

To Serve

If you prefer to serve pickled daikon without the koji (grains), you can quickly rinse under running water. Cut the daikon into ¼-inch (6-mm) slices and enjoy!

To Store

After taking out the pickled daikon from the mixture, store the pickles in a jar or container with a tightly sealing lid to minimize the odor. The pickles will keep in the refrigerator for 3–4 weeks, but I recommend consuming them sooner as the odor gets stronger as time passes.

Nutrition

• Taille de Portion: 1 whole daikon
• Calories: 209 kcal
• Lipides Totaux: 1 g
• Lipides Saturés: 1 g
• Sodium: 2370 mg
• Glucides Totaux: 41 g
• Fibres Diététiques: 8 g
• Sucres Totaux: 37 g
• Protéines: 3 g