This cozy simmered kiriboshi daikon brings umami and a perfect sweet-savory balance, making you feel like you're dining with a Japanese obaachan (grandma)!
Kiriboshi daikon is a pantry staple in Japan, packed with umami and nutrients.
In this recipe, I use the flavorful water leftover from soaking the kiriboshi daikon and cut back on seasonings to let each ingredient shine.
Pair it with any Japanese meal—especially when you need more veggies or fiber, like with tuna mayo onigiri or karaage!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Short and Easy Active Cooking Time: While kiriboshi daikon needs some time to soak and simmer, the hands-on cooking is minimal, so you can do other things while it cooks!
- Perfectly Balanced Flavors with Simple Ingredients: I tested this recipe several times to make sure it highlights the natural flavors without being too salty or too sweet. It also keeps things simple by using just a few ingredients—including the soaking water from the kiriboshi daikon and some dashi for extra depth.
- Great for Meal Prep: It lasts well in the fridge and the freezer, so you can make it ahead and enjoy it throughout the week. Perfect for bento, too!
- Easy to Customize: Add your favorite veggies or make it vegan-friendly with a few simple swaps.
Notes on Ingredients
See the recipe card for the full ingredients list.
- Kiriboshi daikon: These are dried daikon radish strips, typically sun-dried and packed with nutrients thanks to the drying process. You can usually find them at an Asian grocery store or online, such as on Amazon.
- Dashi: Go with a high-quality dashi powder made with all-natural ingredients—something like Kayanoya Dashi works great for the best flavor.
- Mirin: This adds mild sweetness and umami. If you don’t have mirin, substitute 1 tablespoon of mirin with 1 tablespoon of sake and 1 teaspoon of sugar.
Substitutions and Variations
- Add-on Ideas: Feel free to add other vegetables and/or proteins to this dish, such as chicken, deep-fried tofu, or shiitake mushrooms (or other mushrooms).
- Gluten-Free Version: Use gluten-free soy sauce and dashi.
- Vegan Version: Use vegan dashi and swap the pork for a plant-based protein.
How to Make Simmered Kiriboshi Daikon
Step 1: Add just enough water to cover the kiriboshi daikon and rehydrate it
Step 2: Cut the other ingredients
Step 3: Squeeze the soaked kiriboshi daikon with your hands, but don’t throw away the soaking water!
Step 4: Sauté sliced pork and carrots for 1 to 2 minutes to remove excess moisture
Step 4: Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer for about 10 minutes
Step 5: Let it sit for at least 15 minutes so it can soak up all those delicious flavors
Kurumi's Tips
- Use Just Enough Water to Rehydrate Daikon: We want the soaking water to be as flavorful as possible since we’ll be using it in the dish. So, add just enough water to cover the kiriboshi daikon without diluting it.
- Make the Most of the Reserved Water: Kiriboshi daikon is packed with umami and nutrients, so don’t waste the soaking water!
- Let It Sit Before Digging In: The flavors get even better as the dish cools, so I recommend letting it sit for a bit before serving.
- Freeze for Bento: For easy lunch prep, divide it into small portions using muffin cups and freeze them for later.
What to Serve with Simmered Kiriboshi Daikon
I like to serve simmered kiriboshi daikon with a fresh side dish, such as sunomono or Japanese potato salad, to balance the flavors.
For the main dish, almost anything pairs well, but I would avoid another simmered dish, like nikujaga, to prevent having multiple dishes cooked in the same style (simmering). I usually opt for something pan-fried instead, such as karaage and teriyaki chicken.
This is a sample menu that follows the Ichiju-Sansai format:
Storage & Reheating Instructions
- To store: Once cooled, transfer them to an airtight container and keep them in the fridge for 3–4 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.
- To reheat: When you're ready to eat, just enjoy it at room temperature or pop it in the microwave!
FAQs
Kiriboshi daikon is sun-dried daikon radish cut into strips. The drying process concentrates its flavor, making it rich in umami and nutrients.
It has a distinct scent that might surprise you at first, but don’t worry—it mellows out and improves once cooked!
You can find kiriboshi daikon at Asian grocery stores or online, like on Amazon (I personally love Eden Daikon Radish).
The soaking water is packed with flavor, so don’t toss it! In this recipe, we use it as part of the broth, but you can also save it for miso soup or other nimono (simmered dishes).
Korean daikon is shorter and thicker than Japanese daikon and has a stronger flavor. You can substitute dried shredded Korean daikon if you prefer a crunchier texture.
An otoshibuta is a traditional Japanese cooking tool that helps ingredients simmer evenly and retain their shape by preventing them from moving around in the pot.
You can make a substitute by cutting parchment paper to fit the pot, adding a few holes for ventilation.
More Japanese Side Dish Recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
💌 If you created this recipe and liked it, please let me know by leaving a comment below or tagging me on Instagram (@giveme.umami). I'd love to see your creation!
📖Recipe
Simmered Kiriboshi Daikon (Japanese Dried Daikon Radish Strips)
Ingredients
- 2 ounces kiriboshi daikon about 1.5 cups
- 2 small carrots about 2 ounces total
- 5 ounces sliced pork
For the broth
- 1 cup reserved water from soaking kiriboshi daikon
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1.5 tablespoons mirin
- 2 teaspoons dashi powder (see Note 1)
Instructions
- Prepare the kiriboshi daikon: Rinse 2 ounces kiriboshi daikon to remove any dirt, then soak it in just enough water to cover. Let it sit for about 10 minutes. Be sure to use at least the amount of water you’ll need later—so if the recipe calls for 1 cup of the soaking water, make sure you rehydrate it with at least 1 cup (see Note 2).
- Prepare the other ingredients: While the daikon soaks, peel and cut 2 small carrots into thin strips. Cut 5 ounces sliced pork into 1-inch strips.
- Drain and cut the daikon: Once the daikon’s done soaking, save the soaking water. Squeeze out the excess water from the daikon with your hands and cut it into 2–3-inch strips if the pieces are too long.
- Saute the daikon and carrots: Heat a medium pot over medium heat, add oil, then stir-fry the daikon and carrots for 1 to 2 minutes to remove any extra moisture.
- Simmer with pork and broth: Add the sliced pork, 1 cup reserved water from soaking kiriboshi daikon, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1.5 tablespoons mirin, and 2 teaspoons dashi powder to the pot. Give everything a good stir, then cover with an otoshibuta (drop lid) if you have one (see Note 3). Let it simmer for about 10 minutes, or until the liquid reduces to about one-third.
- Let it sit and soak up the flavor: Turn off the heat and let the kiriboshi daikon rest at room temperature for 15 to 30 minutes. This helps it absorb all the savory goodness. You can serve it warm, chilled, or at room temp (see Note 4).
Notes
- (Note 1) Use Good Quality Dashi Powder: Go with a high-quality dashi powder made with all-natural ingredients—something like Kayanoya Dashi works great for the best flavor.
- (Note 2) Use Just Enough Water to Rehydrate Daikon: We want the soaking water to be as flavorful as possible since we’ll be using it in the dish. So, add just enough water to cover the kiriboshi daikon without diluting it.
- (Note 3) Otoshibuta: It’s a traditional Japanese lid that sits right on top of the food as it simmers. It helps everything cook evenly and keeps the ingredients from breaking apart or moving around too much. If you don’t have one, no worries—you can make a quick substitute by cutting a piece of parchment paper to fit your pot and poking a few holes in it for steam to escape.
- (Note 4) Let It Sit Before Digging In: The flavors get even better as the dish cools, so I recommend letting it sit for a bit before serving, ideally a day or until it cools down once. But if you’re hungry, it’s totally fine to enjoy it right away!
- Variations: Feel free to add other vegetables and/or proteins to this dish, such as chicken, deep-fried tofu, or shiitake mushrooms (or other mushrooms).
- To store: Once cooled, transfer them to an airtight container and keep them in the fridge for 3–4 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.
- To reheat: When you're ready to eat, just enjoy it at room temperature or pop it in the microwave!
Kurumi says
I'm so happy I was able to come up with a simmered kiriboshi daikon recipe that I really like—flavorful, but not too salty or sweet. It’s super easy to make, so it's perfect for meal prep! I’ve got a bunch in the fridge from testing it multiple times, so I’m planning to divide it into small portions and freeze them for bento. I hope you like the recipe too and enjoy the natural flavor of daikon!