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Kohaku Namasu Salad

Course Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine Japanese
Servings 4
Author Lucy Seligman

Ingredients

  • 1-1/2 cups daikon radish, peeled and cut into matchsticks
  • 1/3 cup carrot, peeled and cut into matchsticks
  • 1 tsp salt

To make the dressing:

  • 3 tbsp rice vinegar, or to taste
  • 1 tsp white sugar, or to taste
  • salt to taste
  • Dashes of soy sauce and mirin (sweet sake), optional

Optional Garnishes:

Instructions

  • Combine daikon radish and carrot and knead lightly with salt. Let drain in a colander for 15 minutes. Rinse in water and squeeze out excess water.
  • Combine with dressing and taste for seasoning. If you prefer a sweeter version, cut down on the vinegar and increase the sugar. When ready to serve, drain off most of the dressing. It can be garnished with slivers of fragrant yuzu and or lemon peel, toasted white sesame seeds and served in hollowed out yuzu or lemon halves. This salad actually tastes better after ripening in the refrigerator (in a closed container) for a day or two.
     

Notes

The carrot can be replaced with peeled fresh persimmon strips and or dried apricot strips as a variation.
You can also use yuzu juice (or lemon juice) with vinegar, which gives it a slightly different and refreshing flavor as another variation.
In Japan, there is Hoshigaki dried persimmon, so you can use dried persimmon strips, too.  However dried persimmon is sweet, so cut down on the sugar when using.