Easy Lemon Daikon

I'm one of those people who likes fresh, raw radishes of every kind. Some find the peppery taste too overpowering, which is understandable. That's why I've been messing around with cooked radishes.

Sometimes I will boil radishes (and other root vegetables) in a soup or broth. But the weather in Canada is finally starting to warm up and the idea of slurping a steaming bowl of soup is about as appealing now as wearing a parka in a Bikram Yoga class.

So I simply cut my fresh daikon crosswise into rounds and seared them on a pan of well-heated sesame oil until browned. The rounds were quartered. A sprinkling of freshly squeezed lemon juice (yuzu would have been ideal), fleur de sel, ground pepper, and chopped green onions finished the side dish. It was delicious with a bowl of jasmine rice.

Frying or roasting has a way of sweetening root vegetables as well as softening them. I like how the daikon rounds browned, creating a wheel-like pattern that nicely contrasts the soft, white interior. The citrus gives it a teeny shot of vibrancy. I was thinking of rolling the rounds in cornmeal next time to increase the exterior crunch.