15 February 2013

Decadent daikon crisps

Do you want a healthy, crispy snack that’s an alternative to potato chips (and maybe you’re feeling kale chips are a bit, well, 2012?)

Well, I made an ah-MAY-zing discovery the other day…I had picked up two daikon radish to make into shredded ferments but was feeling like I wanted to try something new with this very cool, and often overlooked vegetable…So I made daikon chips. Yes. Really. They were delicious and totally decadent.

You can see how I did it below but first...

What is daikon, anyway?

Daikon looks like a very large, white carrot. They are often called icicle radish, Japanese, Chinese or Oriental radish. They make a regular appearance in Japanese fare (like sushi and dips for tempura). And you can find them in most Asian markets. I did try to grow them in my own garden last year, without success, but will be giving it another go this year…

Here are a few of the benefits boasted by daikon:

• fabulous digestive aid
• helps digest fat (that’s why it’s sometimes included in the dips that accompany tempura)
• is packed with Vitamins A,C and E
• cleanses the blood
• is a liver cleanser
• reportedly treats hangovers, sore throats, colds and flu
• decongests the lungs

How to make daikon chips

This is a simple and scrumptious snack. It’s oh-so-simple and that’s probably what makes it good…

1. Wash your daikon
2. Cut off any dinged up parts. Some areas may need to be peeled a bit.
3. Next, slice very thinly by hand or with a mandolin slicer (pictured) if you have one.

4. Toss daikon with a tbsp or 2 (depending on how much daikon you sliced) of coconut or extra virgin olive oil. I used coconut oil. Sprinkle with unrefined sea salt  such as Himalayan pink, Redmond Real Salt or grey Celtic Sea Salt.

5. Place on dehydrator and dehydrate until crispy.

Yum- these little treats were delightful! Don’t you love it when an experiment goes well?

Bonus: How to make shredded daikon ferment

Daikon radish also makes a very tasty and nutritious ferment. As it turns out, I have found that women love it, and men tend not to…It can have a distinctive smell that is repellant to some people (like my husband and kids, for example).

I make it anyway. Here’s how:

Shredded daikon ferment

1 quart

• 2-3 large daikon radish
• 4 tbsp whey (dripped out from plain, full fat yogurt)
• 1 tbsp unrefined sea salt
• (optional) 1 tsp anise caraway

Shred daikon then add whey, salt and spice.

• This is a ferment that really doesn’t need to be massaged with your hands much because the juices are plentiful once it’s shredded.
• Pack into your jar, leaving 1 inch headspace.
• Make sure ferments are covered with brine because fermentation is anaerobic (tip: use a cabbage leaf to hold ferment under brine).
• Set aside for 5-7 days (or longer) depending on the temperature of your house.
• Transfer to cold storage.

Filed under:Nourished Pantry || Tagged under: daikon, dehydrated food, digestion, digestive aids, Japanese food, sushi
Author: Adrienne Percy