Don’t toss those radish greens! Learn how to make Japanese-style sautéed radish greens for a simple but healthy vegetable side dish.
If you’re throwing out the radish tops, let’s learn how to make this super-easy traditional Japanese radish greens stir-fry by use in soups, salads, omelets, and even as a topping for rice and noodles.
Health Benefits Of Radish Greens
Vitamins B1, B2, A, C, calcium, potassium, and minerals like magnesium, calcium, and iron… The radish green parts are so nutritious.
Even though the greens have a unique aroma, but, mix them with leafy vegetables such as lettuce and salad, or soup and stir-fry.
By the way, radish roots are already known for their nutrition values, such as
- Radishes are especially rich in Vitamin C.
- Radishes contain phosphorus, zinc, and some components of the B-12 complex.
- Radishes support a healthy digestive system
What Does It Taste Like?
Fresh radish greens taste mildly bitter, earthy, and slightly spicy.
Often, it is kinda unpleasant for some people.
It’s similar to the mustard greens flavor.
Despite it being a little hard to try for those who are not getting used to the unique bitterness, cooking the greens and adding seasonings such as salt & pepper, soy sauce, hondashi powder, garlic & chili peppers, can turn it into a pleasant flavor.
How To Clean And Storage Radish Greens
Wash the greens thoughtfully since they are usually loaded with dirt.
Unlike making sauteed greens, this part is needed the most effort.
- Soak them in a large bowl filled with cold water until they get revived.
- Wash thoughtfully while changing the water.
- Remove discolored greens.
- Drain the water, and dry the greens in a salad spinner.
Store them, and dry the greens on a paper towel for a while.
Gently put them in a food storage bag, and remove air. (Do not squash greens!)
Store it in a fridge, then, consume the greens within 3 days before they are slimy.
Be sure to remove the excess water before storing the greens in the bag.
By the way, here is the storing tip for radish roots if you like.
Radish Greens In Japanese Cooking
The typical radish in Japan is actually “Daikon radish” rather than the radish you’re familiar with.
Daikon radish greens are often cooked and served as a vegetable side dish in Japan.
Daikon radish greens are also known for their rich nutrition value, it is often chopped up, stir-fry with toasted sesame oil, and made like FURIKAKE topping for rice, tofu, and salad.
So, we can use radish tops instead of Daikon radish tops! I often make this dish and top it with salad, throw in the soup and omelets.
Also, GOMA AE salad is a popular recipe using radish greens.
Japanese-Style Sauteed Radish Greens
Sauteed Radish green is a Japanese stir-fry with iconic Asian-Japanese flavors running through the dish, which is commonly served with a side dish of rice or tea-time after meals.
Also, it is a popular dish as the meal-prep ingredients such as adding fried rice, egg omelets, or miso soup…
It’s super easy to make, using high-quality toasted sesame oil.
I can’t count how many times I have talked about this Korean toasted sesame oil.
This sesame oil is the best product so far in my experience.
Rich flavor and strong toasted sesame aroma.
Hondashi powder is a must item to make “Japanese-style” easily and quickly.
Especially, this sauteed radish greens will be cooked instantly, so adding hondashi powder can help finish the flavor combined in a short time.
Stir-frying greens should be cooked in a short time to avoid the dish watery.
For the vegetarian/ vegan alternative, you can use dashi kombu powder or vegetable/ mushroom dashi powder.
My recipe is the most popular but the most simple ingredients are considered from other Japanese-style sauteed greens.
For more ingredients and flavors ideas, use butter instead of sesame oil, add mirin, or add proteins…
Stir-fry Cooking Tips
In the process of Asian stir-fry dishes, often stir-frying ingredients over high or medium-high heat while cooking excess water down to make it crunchy.
However, do not overheat the cookware when using one with Teflon coated.
First heat the skillet/ frying pan/ wok over high heat until hot.
Spread the ingredients over the pan, and stir them constantly thoroughly.
Leafy greens including radish tops will release much water as cooking, stir-frying over high temperature is the essential key to making it delicious.
Especially, if you want to store radish green stir fry for a few days, cook it until you don’t see the water on the bottom.
So, you can use the radish green stir-fry as the ingredient for pressed sushi!
Japanese Vegetable Stir Fry Recipe: Japanese-Style Sauteed Radish Greens
Ingredients
- 2 cups radish greens, washed and chopped
- 1 tbsp white sesame seeds
- 1 tbsp Toasted sesame oil *See my recommendation
- ½ TSP hondashi powder/ any Japanese dashi powder
- ½ tbsp dark soy sauce
- 1 clove garlic, minced *optional
- 1 hot chili pepper *optional
Instructions
- Heat the sesame oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.*Cook minced garlic cook until fragrant and hot chili peppers optionally.
- Add the chopped radish greens and stir-fry, about 2-3 minutes.*Cook over medium-high heat and stir and toss well to evaporate the water.
- Add hondashi powder (or any Japanese dashi powder) and toss.
- When the water evaporates, add soy sauce and toss.