Takuan

Fresh, just harvested daikon are hung for two to three weeks, then salted and pickled in nuka (dry rice bran) and salt. It takes two or three months to mature and the end result is a soft but crunchy, delicious yellow daikon. This tsukemono is said to have been invented by the Buddhist monk Takuan in the 17th century, hence the name. Salty with a hint of sweetness, it is good on its own with hot boiled rice. It is also a regular ingredient for nori maki (nori-rolled sushi) and other rice dishes. Most of the manufactured takuan has bright yellow food colouring added, so for naturally pickled daikon, look for the paler ones and check the label first.