Basic Use and Preparation

Often referred to as a “salad root,” crisp, peppery radishes are, as the nickname implies, an ideal addition to salads. Their pungency comes from oil present mostly in the skin, so you can vary their potency by peeling. Table radishes are sprinkled with salt for a snack or appetizer, thinly sliced and tossed with greens for a salad, or thinly sliced to top an open-faced sandwich. Although Western cooks usually don’t cook radishes, they can be roasted, sautéed, steamed, or boiled. Cooking dulls their peppery taste and brings out their sweetness. In Asian cuisines, radish preparations are more diverse: in Japan, they are pickled or grated and used as a condiment; in Korea, they are used for kimchi; and in China, they are made into puddings, braised in clay pots, grated for making steamed savory cakes, pickled, and more.