Japanese condiments! tips for making delicious Daikon oroshi (grated Japanese white radish)
Have you tried Daikon oroshi? Daikon oroshi means grated Japanese white radish in Japanese. It often comes with grilled fish at Japanese restaurants.
What is Daikon oroshi? How do we use it?
Daikon oroshi is used as a condiment or accompaniment of washoku (Japanese food). Daikon oroshi has a unique spiciness and fluffy texture. It is really suitable for oily and heavy food because it can help digest food and cuts the fatty flavour. When we eat daikon oroshi with grilled fish, we usually put a dash of soy sauce on daikon oroshi and eat together.
Which part is the best for Daikon oroshi?
Some people doesn't like the spiciness of daikon oroshi. However, you can change the taste depending on the part of Japanese white radish you use. Let me introduce each part of the radish and the different tastes.
1. Upper part
This part is rich in water and has a strong sweetness and hard texture. So, It is said this part is the most suitable to daikon oroshi, if you don’t like spiciness, I also recommend to use this.
2. Middle part
This part is a good balance with sweetness and spiciness and soft texture. We can also use for daikon oroshi, but I recommend using for boiled dishes.
3. Lower part
This part has little water and has a strong spiciness. I don’t really recommend this part, but If you like spiciness, it is good for you.
Types of radish grater
I tried 2 types of radish grater, metallic grater and onioroshi (bamboo grater).
Metallic grater
The taste is more spicy and higher in moisture, the texture is more fluffy than onioroshi. In my house, we usually use this one and it is easier to find it at shop. I thought this grater is easier to grate and wash than onioroshi, so if you don’t have a grater, I recommend buying this one.
Onioroshi (bamboo grater)
The texture is really different from the metallic one and I felt it needs more power to grate. It was crisper and sweeter. When you want to enjoy the texture, I recommend using this one.
The below is the onioroshi (left) vs the metallic grater (right).
Let’s make daikon oroshi!
There are a few methods to make daikon oroshi, here is one of them.
1. Cut 1/3 of the radish where you want to use. Peel the outside.
2. Cut the radish lengthwise into 1/4. (My hand is small, so I cut to a smaller size. You can choose the size you are comfortable with grating.)
3. Prepare a small mesh colander with a bowl.
4. Place the daikon radish at a 90-degree angle and grate it with a circular motion.
5. When the radish becomes smaller, grate it while changing direction to avoid cutting your fingers. (You can stop when you get the amount you like)
6. Press the grated daikon radish into the colander to squeeze out the water.
*This squeezing of water is important for daikon oroshi. If you do not squeeze it at all, the moisture of the radish will make the taste of the dish light, and if you squeeze too much, it will be dry and unpalatable. It’s perfect when the juice doesn't drop when you pinch it with your fingers.
7. All done! Eat it with grilled fish and tamagoyaki.
Daikon oroshi is better when prepared just before cooking. The part of the radish when use daikon oroshi really depends on your taste, so please try to find your taste!
I will introduce daikon oroshi recipes to you on our blog in the future. Look forward to it!
Writer: Yuki Takatani
Reference:
*1［大根おろしの作り方］辛み＆口あたりは、部位やおろし方で調節,大根おろしのおろし方。辛いのが苦手ならこの方法！部位やおろし器を解説
*2 大根おろしの作り方/おろし方