Daikon

It's disappointing how few of the world's edible plants and animals make up most people's diets, so when the chance comes along to try something new, I usually take it. Although I've eaten daikon before, I never bought it or prepared it myself until now.

It's the long white sticks on my crudité platter shown in the photo, which I served with guacamole and hummus for dipping. Wikipedia has a photo of whole daikon, but mine wasn't as pretty as theirs. The greens had been removed, and the skin was rough-textured with some brownish coloration in areas. It looked a lot like a parsnip, or like a carrot if carrots were off-white. It was a bargain at $1.29 per pound, less than a dollar for a large daikon.

I peeled it and cut it into strips suitable for dipping. Daikon is sometimes known as daikon radish or Chinese radish, and I found the taste and texture very similar to a "regular" radish: crunchy, a bit watery, and providing a moderate sensation of heat on the tongue. My wife compared the flavor to celery; however, it lacks any stringiness.

Wikipedia says daikon is low in calories, and higher in vitamin C than regular radishes. I suspect the red skin of regular radishes harbors some antioxidants that aren't found in daikon, but I'm just guessing about that. Readers, please weigh in if you know. In any case, daikon is probably a more healthful choice than a lot of things I eat. It wasn't the most delicious thing I ever had, but I would try it again.