Start by cutting your daikon into thick 3.5cm (about 1½-inch) rounds. If you want bigger pieces, use the middle part of the radish.

Then peel each piece with a vegetable peeler.

The thickness is crucial here because we want substantial “steaks” that can hold up to both boiling and searing, developing a tender interior that maintains its shape.

Next comes a traditional Japanese technique called mentori (面取り), or chamfering the edges. Use your peeler to gently shave off the sharp corners of each daikon round, creating slightly rounded edges.

Create a crosshatch pattern on one side of each daikon round by making shallow cuts about 5mm deep in a grid pattern.

This scoring technique serves triple duty: it creates an attractive presentation, helps heat penetrate more evenly, and looks beautiful when seared.

Pour enough water to cover the daikon into a large pot and add a pinch of salt. Start the heat on high and immediately add your daikon rounds, allowing the water and daikon to warm up together.

Once the water reaches a boil, reduce the heat and let them simmer gently for 30 minutes until they’re fork-tender (a knife should slide through easily with minimal resistance).

If you’re planning to cook rice the same day, save the starchy rice water from rinsing and use it for parboiling instead. The starches help draw out any bitter compounds while enhancing the daikon’s natural sweetness (optional).

While the daikon simmers, heat olive oil in a large skillet over low heat and add thinly sliced garlic. Cook slowly until the garlic turns golden and crispy, about 3-4 minutes.

The gentle heat prevents burning while creating that perfect nutty flavor.

Remove the crispy garlic chips and set aside, but leave the aromatic oil in the pan. You’ll use this for searing later. This infused oil adds incredible depth that plain oil simply can’t match.

Next, peel your starchy potatoes and cut them into uniform chunks. Place them in a pot covered with cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to low, add salt, and simmer for 10-15 minutes until a fork slides through effortlessly.

Drain immediately and mash while the potatoes are still steaming hot.

Add butter first and mix until absorbed.

Then gradually stream in milk while stirring until you reach your desired consistency.

Season with salt to taste, remembering that this mild creamy base will balance the bold flavors of the daikon steak.

Drain the boiled daikon by pouring it though a sieve and leave it to dry in the steam for a few minutes. Any moisture will prevent proper browning, so pat excess moisture with paper towels if necessary.

Heat your reserved garlic oil in the skillet over medium heat and place the daikon scored-side down.

Let them sear undisturbed for 3 minutes until deep golden, then flip and sear the other side for 2-3 minutes.

While they’re getting that beautiful sear, whisk together soy sauce, mirin, red wine, and sugar in a small bowl.

Pour the sauce into the pan and gently swirl to coat each piece.

As the liquid reduces and becomes slightly syrupy, turn off the heat and flip the daikon one final time, scored-side down.

This final rest allows the glaze to set while the residual heat continues working its magic.

Spoon the creamy mashed potatoes onto your plates and sprinkle with black pepper and dried parsley for color contrast and additional flavor.

Carefully place each glazed daikon steak on top with the scored side facing up, then finish with a drizzle of sesame oil, the reserved garlic chips, and shichimi togarashi.

Finally, top with chopped green onions and any leftover sauce from the pan. Enjoy!

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Combine all the soup base ingredients in a large pot and give it a good stir.

Then, add the sliced pork, aburaage (fried tofu), and vegetables.

Put a lid on the pot and turn the heat to medium. Let everything cook together until the Napa cabbage becomes tender and the pork is cooked through, which should take about 10 minutes.

The cabbage will release its natural sweetness into the broth during this time.

Once the vegetables have reached your desired tenderness and the pork is fully cooked, add in the freshly grated daikon radish. Finish by drizzling with toasted sesame oil, sprinkling with chopped green onions, and adding a generous grind of black pepper.

Serve in individual bowls while it’s still hot. Each person can add their own touch by using yuzu kosho (citrus chili paste) or shichimi togarashi (seven-spice powder) to suit their own heat preference.

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Heat up a medium-sized pot on medium and add some oil. Once it’s hot, add the pork belly and sprinkle with salt.

Cook it until the meat starts to brown and release its fat. This initial browning is what will create a foundation of flavor for the soup.

Throw in all the vegetables except for the konnyaku and aburaage, along with another dash of salt. Give it a stir-fry for about 2 minutes, making sure the vegetables are all coated in that tasty pork fat.

Pour in the dashi stock and bring it to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Cook for 7 minutes.

Now, add the washed konnyaku and aburaage to the pot. Turn the heat down low and let it simmer for about 3 minutes.

Turn off the heat. Use a miso strainer (or a fine-mesh strainer) to gradually dissolve the sake lees and miso into the soup. This will help you avoid lumps and get a nice, smooth consistency.

Add the light soy sauce and stir gently to combine. Taste it and adjust the seasonings if needed.

Ladle the hot soup into individual bowls and top with freshly chopped green onions.

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In a small bowl, mix rice vinegar, sugar, and salt until the sugar and salt are fully dissolved. This mixture is key to giving sushi rice its distinctive flavor.

Pour it over freshly cooked Japanese short-grain rice and gently mix with a rice paddle or silicone spatula, being careful not to crush the grains.

As you mix, fan the rice to help it cool faster.

Once mixed, cover the rice with a damp cloth to prevent it from drying out while you prepare the other ingredients.

Cut the sashimi-grade salmon into thin sticks. Finely chop the green onions and takuan (pickled daikon). The fine chopping helps to ensure an even distribution in the roll and balances the flavors.

Make sure you have a bowl of cold water to wet your hands (this will stop the rice from sticking), a small dish of wasabi, and a bamboo rolling mat ready.

Split each nori sheet in half by folding it along the crease or using scissors, with the shiny side down.

Just a heads-up: The shiny side should be on the outside of the roll (facing down), while the rough side faces up.

Line up the nori sheet with the bottom edge of the bamboo mat, with the rough side facing you, and get ready to roll.

Wet your hands with the cold water and take about 65 grams of rice, forming it into a rough cylinder.

Put the rice on the bottom edge of the nori and spread it gently across to the other side, leaving about a finger-width border at the top.

Wetting your hands helps keep the rice from sticking, and using a slightly smaller amount of rice (65g instead of my usual 80g) allows more space for fillings. Once you’ve spread the rice, pinch the top edge to create a small ridge along the border.

This will help you roll the rice up into the nori.

If you’re using wasabi, just spread a little across the center of the rice.

Then, add a thin layer of chopped green onions and pickled daikon along the middle of the rice.

Finally, add the salmon sticks to the center. Just a heads-up: Don’t overfill the roll, or it’ll be tricky to roll and cut.

Line the bottom of the nori with the edge of the bamboo mat. Now, just lift the bottom edge of the mat and roll it over the fillings, pulling it up to meet the top edge of the rice “ridge.”

Gently but firmly press to secure the roll, then lift the bamboo mat and continue rolling until the empty border of nori seals the roll.

Once you’ve rolled it all the way up, use the bamboo mat to gently press the roll and make sure it’s all the way shaped.

Use a sharp knife to cut the roll in half. To get a clean cut, use a quick, sharp sawing motion, pushing the knife forward first, then pulling it back.

Just wipe the blade with a damp cloth between each cut to keep the rice from sticking.

Once you’ve cut it in half, cut each half into thirds to create six even pieces.

Arrange the sushi rolls on a plate and serve with soy sauce for dipping. Enjoy these fresh salmon sushi rolls with the crisp bite of takuan and the mild heat of green onion!

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To get started, prepare the vinegared sushi rice. In a small bowl, mix together the rice vinegar, sugar, and salt.

Next, just pour the mixture over your cooked rice and fold it in gently with a rice paddle or wooden spoon. Use a cutting and folding motion to make sure the grains are distributed evenly without crushing them.

Once the rice is nice and glossy, let it cool to room temperature with a fan.

Then cover it with a damp cloth to keep it from drying out.

For more detailed instructions, check out my full sushi rice recipe.

Cut a square of nori seaweed in half to create the base for your hosomaki (thin sushi roll). For clean cuts, use sharp kitchen shears or fold the nori and tear along the crease.

Set up your sushi rolling station with a bowl of cold water and a bamboo rolling mat. Place the mat with the bamboo knots facing up.

Lightly wet your hands with cold water to prevent sticking, then take an 80g portion of sushi rice.

Shape it into a rough cylinder and place it on one side of the nori sheet.

Gently spread the rice across the nori, leaving a finger-width border at the top edge. Create a small ridge along this border by pinching the rice – this will help seal the roll.

Cut takuan into sticks. Alternatively, you can finely dice them to make them easier to fill and eat.

Arrange the strips of pickled daikon down the middle of the rice, pressing it gently into the rice to keep it in place. This stops the filling from moving around when you’re rolling it.

Make sure the bottom edge of the nori is lined up with the edge of your bamboo mat so it rolls evenly.

Now, just lift the bottom edge of the mat and fold it over the filling until it meets the opposite edge of the rice (where you made the ridge).

Give it a little bit of gentle pressure to secure the initial fold.

Continue rolling by lifting the edge of the bamboo mat and guiding the nori forward, allowing the empty border to wrap around and seal the roll.

Use the mat to gently shape and compress the roll, ensuring it’s firm but not overly tight.

Damp a sharp knife with a clean, wet cloth. Use a quick, decisive motion to cut the sushi roll in half.

When cutting, just push the knife forward first, then pull it back towards you. Wipe the blade clean between each cut to make sure the rice doesn’t stick and to get nice, clean slices.

Cut each half of the roll into thirds, and you’ll have six even pieces.

Serve immediately for the best texture.

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Cut the daikon into matchstick shapes.

Put them in a bowl. Sprinkle with salt and give it a gentle massage into the daikon.

Let it sit for about five minutes to draw out the excess moisture.

While the daikon is resting, mix all the dressing ingredients together in a separate bowl. The key here is to whisk vigorously to create a smooth, well-integrated dressing.

After about five minutes, give the daikon a good squeeze with your hands to get rid of any excess water.

Next, add the well-drained tuna and mayonnaise to the bowl with the daikon. Just mix it all together gently but thoroughly to make sure everything’s evenly distributed.

Transfer the mixed salad to a serving bowl. Drizzle with the dressing and top with a generous sprinkle of bonito flakes and chopped nori.

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Start by washing the daikon and peeling the skin, then cut it in half lengthways.

To serve as a pickle, cut it into thick half-moons. If you intend to use it for sushi, you can cut it into long sticks instead.

Place the sliced daikon in a sealable freezer bag and add the salt. I add 2% of the original weight of the daikon. Massage until evenly covered.

Push the air out of the bag and seal it tightly, then place it in a container and weigh it down with something double the weight of the daikon. I find a 1kg bag of salt works perfectly.

Store in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours, or overnight if you have time.

After some time, the salt will draw out the excess liquid in the daikon. Pour the contents of the bag through a sieve and shake well to remove all the excess moisture.

Rinse out the bag and then add the daikon slices back in. Add the sugar and vinegar, then massage by scrunching the bag until evenly covered.

Take your kombu, dried chili and gardenia pod.

Use a fork to pierce holes in the gardenia pod, this will help extract the color.

Then add them to the bag.

Push the air out of the bag and seal tightly. Rest in the refrigerator for 2-3 days and flip the bag once or twice a day to encourage even coloring.

Once you’re happy with the color and flavor, pour the Takuan into a mesh strainer and rinse with cold water.

Pat them dry with kitchen paper, then transfer them to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator.

Enjoy them on their own, as a side or in sushi rolls!

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First, cut the yellowtail into large bite-sized pieces, place them in a heatproof bowl, sprinkle them with salt, and leave them to the side.

While the yellowtail sits, prepare a pot of boiling water-big enough for the daikon radishes. Once it’s boiling, lower the heat to a gentle simmer and add the daikon radishes, which I’ve cut into thick rounds which are then halved. They need about 30 minutes to become tender.

After the radishes are tender enough, scoop them out and let them drain in a colander.

Meanwhile, boil some water in a kettle. While you wait for it to boil, quickly rinse the yellowtail under running cold water, then put it back in its bowl. I also prepare a bowl of ice water on the side at this point.

Once the kettle water is ready, I pour it over the yellowtail to blanch it for about 10 seconds, then immediately plunge the fish into the ice water.

Now, in a clean pot, I combine water, sake, sugar, boiled radishes, and the blanched yellowtail. Bring this mix to a boil over medium heat.

As soon as it starts boiling, turn the heat down to medium-low, then add soy sauce, mirin, a dry chili pepper, and kombu.

Cover the pot with a drop-lid (or a piece of parchment paper cut to fit) and let it all simmer gently for 15 minutes.

After 15 minutes, Remove the drop-lid and crank the heat up to high for 2 minutes. This last blast of heat intensifies the dish’s flavors.

Finally, I sprinkle some fine matchsticks of ginger over the top and serve.

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Fill a large bowl just over halfway with water. As you cut the vegetables, place them in this water to prevent them from discoloring.

Start with daikon radish: peel it, and cut it flat along the fibers into 1 cm wide strips.

Lay them on a cutting board and cut them lengthwise into 4 equal pieces (so they become 1 to 1.5 cm square sticks).

Turn it 90 degrees and cut 4 to 5 mm wide from the end. Thinly slice these sticks and drop them into the water.

For the eggplant, peel it and use the same method as the daikon radish. However, keep in mind that eggplant will soften once salted, so cutting it a little thicker than daikon is recommended.

For the Japanese or Persian cucumber, peel, remove the ends, and cut in half lengthways (or quarters if thick). Thinly slice and add to the water. Lastly, peel and finely dice fresh ginger.

Drain the water from the bowl and add the ginger with salt. Mix everything well. Let it rest for about 20 minutes.

This process allows the salt to draw out excess moisture from the vegetables. In the meantime, you can prepare the lotus root and pickling liquid.

Heat a small pot of water. While you wait, peel the lotus root and thinly slice it. Then, cut each slice into smaller pieces.

Once the water is boiling, blanch the lotus root slices for about 1 minute. Drain them and let them cool.

Combine soy sauce, dashi stock, red wine, light brown sugar, and rice vinegar in a saucepan. Heat this mixture on medium and let it boil for 2-3 minutes.

After that, remove it from the heat and let it cool down.

After the 20-minute rest, you’ll notice the bowl of vegetables has accumulated water. Drain them using a sieve and squeeze out as much liquid as possible.

Transfer these vegetables to a sealable freezer bag. Add the lotus root, the cooled pickling liquid, and the kombu.

Push out any air and seal the bag. For safety, place this bag in a container to avoid leaks. Refrigerate for at least 12 hours to let the flavors meld.

Enjoy these pickles with Japanese curry rice! The tanginess of the pickles complements the richness of the curry beautifully.

You can also eat it on its own as a side pickle!

By the way, in my experience, this Fukujinzuke recipe tastes the best on the third day!

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While the carrot and daikon are dehydrating, you can prepare the pickling liquid.

If you’re using fresh yuzu, wash and peel off some of the skin then cut it into thin strips. If you can’t get yuzu, you can grate orange or lemon peel instead.

Next, take a sealable bag and add rice vinegar, yuzu juice, water, sugar, salt and soy sauce. Mix them together by scrunching the bag. Once the salt and sugar have dissolved into the mixture, add the yuzu peel and a piece of kombu (dried kelp).

Once 15 minutes have passed, squeeze the carrot and daikon thoroughly and pour away the excess liquid.

Transfer the carrot and daikon strips into the ziplock bag, push the air out and seal it up. Store it in the fridge for at least 12 hours, preferably overnight.

Serve as a side pickle or as part of a Japanese New Year Osechi meal! For an extra wow factor, some people like to scoop out half a yuzu and serve it in the skin. It’s a beautiful way to present kohaku namasu!

Enjoy!

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