- 120 - 150 g (4.2 - 5.3oz) daikon (white radish), 3-6cm (1¼ - 2½") long (note 1)
- 1 aburaage (fried thin tofu) (note 2)
- 2 cups hot water
- 360 ml (12.1oz) short grain or medium grain rice
- 415 ml (14oz) dashi stock (note 3)
- 1 tbsp sake
- 1½ tbsp light soy sauce (note 4)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- Tiny daikon leaves (note 5) , chopped if required
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Wash rice until water runs clear. Drain and leave in a sieve for minimum 30 minutes.
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If using 6cm (2½") daikon, cut it in half into 3cm (1¼") thick discs. Slice the discs vertically so that you will have 3mm (⅛") thick rectangular slices. A few slices at a time, cut them in the same direction as the slices into 3mm thick, 3cm long matchsticks. (note 6)
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Pour 2 cups of hot water over aburaage to remove excess oil, then squeeze water out. Cut aburaage in half lengthwise, then cut into 3mm (⅛") wide strips crosswise.
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Add the rice in a heavy bottom pot, then add remaining Rice ingredients. Shake the pot gently and make sure the surface of the rice is level. Spread the daikon and aburaage on top.
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Place the lid on and cook as per the steps 5 & 6 of the instructions in How to Cook Rice in Japanese Way. When mixing the rice, try not to damage the daikon pieces. You could add chopped daikon leaves at this point rather than scattering over as garnish if you like.
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Serve in a rice bowl with chopped daikon leaves as garnish if using.
1. You need a 3cm (1¼") thick disc to slice.Then cut the slices into match sticks. Depending on the diameter of the daikon root, you may need two discs.
2. You can buy aburaage at Asian/Japanese grocery stores. It is sold frozen and usually comes in a pack of three. You will only need one so the rest can go in the freezer.
3. If you are a vegetarian, please use konbu to make dashi stock, which is described in Varieties of Dashi Stock.
The amount of dashi stock required may be different if you are using a rice cooker. Please follow the instructions of the rice cooker. Dashi stock + sake + soy sauce should match with the required amount of water.
4. If you don’t have light soy sauce, substitute with normal soy sauce. The colour of the rice will be a bit darker.
5. In the centre of the daikon leaves, you will find tiny leaves sprouting. They are the ones that I use in this rice dish. When you chop the leaves off the daikon root, place it upright on a plate or in a bowl with water in it. It will regrow tiny daikon leaves.
6. It is important to cut the daikon in the right direction. Do not cut crosswise to make the matchsticks. As the fibre of the daikon runs from the leaves to the tip of the root, the matchsticks will break easily when cooked if cut crosswise.