Sweet Potato and Cabbage Curry

3 Tbsp canola or safflower oil

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

1 cup chopped onion

4 garlic cloves, crushed

1/2 Tbsp ground cumin

1 tsp curry powder

1 cup vegetable broth

1 can coconut milk

Salt and pepper

2-3 sweet potatoes, diced

2 carrots cut into coins

1 daikon radish, quartered then sliced

½-1 cabbage, shredded

Juice of half a lime

In a large sauté pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the pepper flakes, onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to soften, about 5 minutes.

Add the garlic, ground cumin, curry powder and cook, stirring, about 1 minute.

Add the vegetable broth, coconut milk, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat to medium-low.

Add the sweet potatoes, cabbage and carrots. Cover and cook about 15 minutes. Then add daikon radish (you want this to still be a little crisp) and the lime juice. Stir well and cook for 2 minutes more.

Serve warm on top of rice.

Sautéed Choi and Daikon with Apples

1 bunch tatsoi or head of choi, cut into strips roughly ¼’’ thick

1 medium onion, sliced thin

1 daikon radish, cut into thin half moons

1-2 apples, cored and sliced into thin wedges

1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

1 Tbsp canola or safflower oil

1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

2 tsp whole grain dijon mustard

1/4 tsp kosher salt

1/4 tsp ground pepper

Preheat oven to 350° F. Toast walnuts for 5-10 min. on a baking sheet, tossing occasionally to ensure even cooking.

Heat oil in large skillet. Add onions and radishes and cook until tender.

Add apples, vinegar, mustard, salt, and pepper. Stir until ingredients are well coated. Cover and simmer for 4 minutes or until apples are just tender.

Add choi or tat soi to skillet, stir, and cook covered until tender and more vibrant in color; 3 minutes or so.

Remove walnuts from oven and let cool.

Transfer salad to a serving bowl and toss with walnuts.

Roasted Root Vegetable Stew

2-3 pounds of root vegetables such as rutabaga, turnip, potatoes, carrots, daikon radish, and celery root, peeled and cut into chunks

1 head of garlic, the cloves separated and peeled

6 Tbsp olive oil, divided 3 Tbsp and 3 Tbsp

1 teaspoon Kosher salt

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 heaping tablespoon tomato paste

1 28-ounce can of whole peeled tomatoes

2 cups (packed) of chopped napa cabbage

2 Tbsp parsley chopped

Black pepper to taste

Tabasco sauce (optional, to taste)

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Into a large roasting pan, mix together the vegetables, garlic, 3 Tbsp olive oil. Sprinkle with salt.  Roast for 45 minutes, turning the vegetables over in the pan halfway through cooking.

Meanwhile, in a 4 to 5 quart Dutch oven, heat 3 Tbsp of olive oil over medium high heat. When the oil is hot, add the onions and sauté until the edges of the onions just begin to brown. Stir in the tomato paste, and cook a minute longer. Using your hands, tear the canned tomatoes into large pieces as you add them to the pot. Add the remaining liquid from the can into the pot. Stir well. Add the parsley. Bring to a simmer, and then lower the heat to the lowest possible setting. Cover the pot and let cook gently while the root vegetables are roasting.

When the root vegetables are ready (they should be browned on the edges and easily pierced with a fork), remove from the oven. Add chopped leafy greens to the pot of tomatoes. Simmer until the greens are wilted, about 5 minutes. Stir in the root vegetables. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Season with Tabasco to taste if using.

Kimchi

1 napa cabbage, cut into 2-inch strips

1/4-1/2 cup kosher salt

2 tablespoons garlic, minced

2 tablespoons ginger, minced

1 teaspoon sugar

3 tablespoons water

4 tablespoons Korean red pepper flakes

1 large daikon radish, peeled and cut into 1-inch matchsticks

2 bunches green onions, cut into 1-inch pieces

Place cabbage in a large bowl and sprinkle with salt. Mix thoroughly using gloves, if preferred. Place a heavy pot or pan on top with weights and allow cabbage to sit for 1-2 hours until wilted and water has been released.

Discard water after 1-2 hours. Rinse the cabbage 2-3 times in the sink until salt is removed and allow to drain in a colander for another 15-20 minutes.

Combine cabbage with remaining ingredients (through water) and mix. Using gloves, add the Korean red pepper flakes and begin mixing and rubbing flakes into the mixture.

Once combined, place mixture in a jar pressing down and packing tightly so that the mixture is submerged in its own liquid. Place top on jar and allow to sit at room temperature for 2-5 days. Place jar on a plate since the mixture may bubble over while fermenting.

Each day of fermentation, remove the lid to release gases and press down on the mixture to keep it submerged. You can taste a sample each day to decide if the level of fermentation is to your liking.

After 2-5 days of fermentation, store kimchi in refrigerator.

Daikon and Rutabaga Slaw

1 Rutabaga Peeled & Shredded 

1 Cup Shredded Daikon

1/3 Cup Dry Roasted Peanuts, roughly chopped

2 Tablespoons Smooth Peanut Butter

1 Tablespoon Hot Water

1 Tablespoon Lime Juice

Salt & Pepper to taste

1/4 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes (or more to taste, also optional)

Combine the rutabaga, daikon, and peanuts in a bowl.

In a separate small bowl, whisk together the peanut butter, lime juice, hot water, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. 

Pour the dressing over the veggies and mix until everything is well combined.  Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour before serving, longer is just fine.   

Daikon and Carrot Salad (Namasu)

½ of each daikon radish

1 carrot peeled

1 tsp Kosher salt

1 tsp lemon zest (optional)

1 ½ Tbsp. granulated sugar

1½ Tbsp. rice vinegar

1 Tbsp. water

¼ tsp Kosher salt

Using a vegetable peeler peel thin strips of the daikon radishes and carrots and mix together. 

Lightly salt them and put in a strainer for about 10 minutes.

Mix the rest of the ingredients in a bowl until the sugar is dissolved.

Squeeze moisture from the carrot and radish mixture and then mix with dressing. Let sit for 5 minutes.

Very enjoyable right away or let sit in your fridge overnight to allow the flavors to meld.

If you enjoy the simple salad you can reserve the dressing and keep adding more carrot and radish to your heart’s content.

Bok Choy and Daikon Stir-fry

1 medium head bok choy

1 daikon radish, cut into bite sized slices

1 medium onion sliced thin

2 tsp cooking oil

2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced (1 Tbs.)

1 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh ginger

1 tsp salt

2 Tbsp. fresh orange juice

2 Tbsp. unseasoned rice vinegar

2 tsp cornstarch

1 tsp tamari (soy sauce)

1 tsp honey

Whisk together orange juice, rice vinegar, cornstarch, soy sauce, and honey in small bowl; set aside.

Cut greens from bok choy and keep separate from stems. Cut stems into ½-inch slices.

Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add radishes and cook, without stirring, 3 minutes. Add bok choy stems and cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add sliced onion, and sauté 1 minute. Add garlic and ginger, and sauté 1 minute. Add bok choy greens and salt, and sauté 1 minute. Remove from heat.

Stir orange juice sauce again to ensure it remains thoroughly mixed. Add sauce to pan and stir well to coat.