Japanese · side

Kiriboshi Daikon no Nimono (Simmered Dried Daikon Strips)

Name: Kiriboshi Daikon no Nimono (Simmered Dried Daikon Strips)
Prep time: 31 min
Total time: 1 h 22 min
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: kiriboshi daikon — 50 g; cold water — 600 g; abura-age — 30 g; carrot — 80 g; dried red chillies — 5 g; sesame oil — 14 g; reserved daikon soaking water — 200 g; niban dashi — 150 g; sake — 15 g; mirin — 22 g; caster sugar — 13 g; soy sauce — 37 g

Kiriboshi Daikon no Nimono (Simmered Dried Daikon Strips) reads umami 6.3, sweetness 5.8 and salinity 5.2 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Japanese side, about 1 hr 22 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

Umami & Savory — 7.1 / 10
Sweet & Fruity — 6.3 / 10
Sour & Bright — 0.9 / 10
Bitter & Earthy — 1.8 / 10
Rich & Fat — 5.2 / 10
Aromatic & Spice — 1.9 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 6.3 · Sweetness 5.8 · Salinity 5.2 · Nutty 4.0 · Richness 3.8 · Funk & Ferment 3.1 · Heat 1.7 · Earthy 1.6 · Fruity 1.5 · Floral 1.3 · Herbaceous 1.0 · Sourness 0.8 · Bitterness 0.8

What's in it (12)

kiriboshi daikon — 50 g
cold water — 600 g
abura-age — 30 g
carrot — 80 g
dried red chillies — 5 g
sesame oil — 14 g
reserved daikon soaking water — 200 g
niban dashi — 150 g
sake — 15 g
mirin — 22 g
caster sugar — 13 g
soy sauce — 37 g

Time & effort: about 1 hr 22 min (31 min active) · effort: medium

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 21.2 kcal, 0.3 g protein, 1.2 g fat, 2.7 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat · Contains seafood — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (6 steps)

Rinse the kiriboshi daikon quickly in cold water, rubbing it between your palms, then cover it with the 600 ml of cold water and leave 20 minutes. It swells to about four times its dry weight. Squeeze it out but keep the soaking water: sun-drying concentrates the daikon's sugars and they are all in that liquid, which tastes faintly sweet and smells of hay.
Chop the rehydrated strands roughly if they are very long. Pour boiling water over the abura-age to wash off its frying oil, then cut it into strips.
Heat the sesame oil in a pan over medium heat with the chile rings for 15 seconds, then add the drained daikon and stir 2 to 3 minutes until it smells sweet and the strands loosen. Add the carrot and abura-age and stir 1 minute.
Strain in the reserved soaking water, add the dashi and sake, bring to a simmer and add the sugar and mirin. Cook uncovered at a soft bubble for 10 minutes.
Add the soy sauce and simmer a further 12 to 15 minutes, until the liquid is nearly gone and what remains clings to the strands. Stir occasionally now, because the pan is close to dry and will catch.
Cool to room temperature before serving; like all nimono it takes up its seasoning as it cools. This is a store-cupboard dish for the end of winter, when there are no fresh vegetables, and it will keep 5 days in the refrigerator.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

Kinpira Gobo (Braised Burdock and Carrot with Sesame) — Japanese
Chikuzenni (Simmered Chicken and Root Vegetables) — Japanese
Hijiki no Nimono (Simmered Hijiki with Soybeans and Fried Tofu) — Japanese
Nikujaga (Simmered Beef and Potatoes) — Japanese
Kabocha no Nimono (Pumpkin Simmered in Dashi) — Japanese

Keep reading: what umami, sweetness, salinity mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.