This is an appetiser perfect to nibble with drinks. Smoked Salmon with Grated Daikon Dressing (Mizore-ae) is simply made by tossing smoked salmon strips in flavoured grated daikon dressing. It is surprising to learn that smoked salmon and daikon are a good match. Great to serve chilled.
My son and I stayed at Shiga Kogen ski resort in Nagano prefecture from New Year’s Eve for 6 nights. Shiga Kogen ski resort consists of 18 different ski areas and is the largest ski resort in Japan.
It is located within the national park and is designated a UNESCO Man and a Biosphere Reserve that aims to establish a scientific basis for the improvement of relationships between people and their environments.
Being part of the national park, the resort is prohibited from establishing supermarkets and various shops. There are only accommodation facilities, some of which provide restaurants/small souvenir shops.
The white band of slopes on the far-away mountains are still part of Shiga Kogen ski resort. It took us the whole day to ski from one end to the other end of the ski resort.
Accordingly, we had to have dinner at the hotel for 6 nights. We were initially very concerned that we might be served with a dinner menu that was repeated every few days (which is possible because most Japanese skiers stay only a couple of nights).
But there was nothing to worry about. For 6 nights we were served with a magnificent amount and quality of different foods. After a few nights of surprises, my son even said that he was looking forward to having dinner.
Well, that was a long prologue for today’s dish, Smoked Salmon with Grated Daikon Dressing. But this dish was served at the hotel and we both enjoyed it. After we returned from the Japan trip, my family got together to have dinner (so that they could get presents from me!). I served this dish and it was well received.
What’s in Smoked Salmon with Grated Daikon Dressing
As the name indicates, it only consists of smoked salmon strips and grated daikon, which is seasoned with lemon juice and soy sauce. Considering the amount of daikon used for the smoked salmon, you could even classify this dish as one of the daikon recipes.
Grated daikon makes the dish lighter and refreshing. It transforms smoked salmon and makes it less oily.
Smoked salmon has sufficient flavour on its own, so the seasoning is required only to support the flavour, which will be absorbed into the grated daikon.
Grated Daikon aka Mizore (みぞれ) in Cooking
When ingredients are dressed in grated daikon, Japanese call it ‘mizore-ae’ (みぞれ和え). It literally means dressed in sleet because grated daikon looks like sleet (‘mizore’, みぞれ). The word ‘ae’ (和え) means dressed or dressing.
There are a couple of other types of dishes using grated daikon that are also called ‘mizore’ something. They are ‘mizore-ni’ and ‘mizore nabe’.
Mizore-ni is a dish where the ingredients are simmered in grated daikon. The flavouring of mizore-ni is usually a slightly sweet soy sauce flavour. Mizore nabe is a hotpot with plenty of grated daikon in the soup. I am hoping that I can post these recipes someday.
Daikon could be quite a lot to consume at once but if you grate it and cook in a hotpot or even in mizore-ni, you will be surprised to know that quite a lot of daikon can be consumed.
In my post, Rice with White Radish (Daikon Takikomi Gohan), I talked about daikon in detail, including suitable use of daikon by parts of daikon. For today’s dish, try to use the top part of the daikon as it should be the sweetest.
This is a unique smoked salmon appetiser, but it can easily be a side dish too.
Yumiko
PS: I added a new section ‘MEAL IDEAS’ below the recipe card. It gives you a list of dishes that I have already posted and the new recipe in this post that can make up a complete meal. I hope it is of help to you!
This is an appetiser perfect to nibble with drinks. Smoked Salmon with Grated Daikon Dressing (Mizore-ae) is simply made by tossing smoked salmon strips in flavoured grated daikon. It is surprising to learn that smoked salmon and daikon are a good match. Great to serve chilled.
- 100g/3.5oz daikon (note 1)
- 60g/2.1oz smoked salmon , cut to thin strips
- ½ tsp lemon juice
- ¼ tsp light soy sauce (note 2)
- Micro herbs for decoration (optional, note 3)
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Finely grate daikon and place it in a sieve 5 minutes or so to naturally drain excess liquid.
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Toss the sieve a couple of times to shake off more liquid, then transfer the grated daikon to a mixing bowl (note 4).
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Add smoked salmon strips, lemon juice and soy sauce. Mix well but gently trying not to break the salmon strips.
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Transfer to serving bowls shaping it into a mound and place a micro herb leaf on the top of each pile.
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Serve chilled or at room temperature.
1. If you have a whole daikon, use the top part of the daikon near the leaves. It is the sweetest part.
2. I use light soy sauce so that the whiteness of the daikon can be maintained. But if you only have normal soy sauce, it’s OK to use it. The colour of the grated daikon becomes marginally darker.
3. I happened to have micro herbs but it can be any tiny green leaves with neutral flavour.
4. If water accumulates around the grated daikon in the bowl straight away, return the grated daikon to the sieve and squeeze the water out by pressing it gently.
Some daikon comes with much stronger pepperly jolt (almost hot), which is caused by the molecules called isothiocyanate. In general, daikon harvested in summer has more of it, hence stronger flavour. Of the entire daikon root, the portion closer to the leaves is milder and sweeter than the tail end. So, grate the top part of your daikon if you can. Grating daikon by moving the daikon piece lengthwise also reduces the hotness than grating it crosswise.
If your grated daikon is pepperly and hot, you can microwave it without covering for 45 seconds or so to let the isothiocyanate evaporate. Then let it cool down. This reduces the hotness of the daikon.
5. Nutrition per serving as an appetiser.
serving: 42g calories: 23kcal fat: 0.7g (1%) saturated fat: 0.1g (1%) trans fat: 0g polyunsaturated fat: 0.2g monounsaturated fat: 0.3g cholesterol: 3.5mg (1%) sodium: 373mg (16%) potassium: 88mg (3%) carbohydrates: 1.1g (0%) dietary fibre: 0.4g (2%) sugar: 0.6g protein: 3g vitamin a: 0.3% vitamin c: 9.3% calcium: 0.7% iron: 1.3%
Meal Ideas
A typical Japanese meal consists of a main dish, a couple of side dishes, a soup and rice. I try to come up with a combination of dishes with a variety of flavours, colours, textures and make-ahead dishes.
In this meal idea, I use today’s dish, Smoked Salmon with Grated Daikon Dressing (Mizore-ae) as a side dish. The recipe for the main came with two different sauces. I picked sweet and sour sauce because I wanted a ‘sour’ flavour in the meal. But you can use teriyaki sauce flavour if you like.
- Main: Japanese Pork Meatballs with Sweet and Sour Sauce – fried meatballs can be made ahead and even frozen
- Side dish 1: Smoked Salmon with Grated Daikon Dressing (Mizore-ae) – today’s recipe
- Side dish 2: Japanese Okra with Bonito Flakes – alternatively a simple fresh salad
- Soup: Miso Soup of your choice from Miso Soup Ingredient Combinations or your favourite ingredients
- Rice: Cooked Rice
I wonder if some Daikon are stronger than others? Or maybe this dish isn’t for those who don’t love a strong radish flavour. Sadly for us, the Daikon overpowered all other flavours and was too strong for our tastes. We did follow the recipe to the letter so a bit disappointing. Thanks for all the great details you provide with all your recipes, we will keep trying.
Hi Jacquie, I am sorry to hear that the flavour of your daikon overpowered the other flavours. My daikon was even sweet so I am afraid to say that the reason for the disappointing flavour must be due to your daikon.
Some daikon comes with much stronger pepperly jolt (almost hot), which is caused by the molecules called isothiocyanate. It is said that the daikon harvested in summer has more of it, hence stronger flavour. Of the entire daikon root, the portion closer to the leaves is milder and sweeter than the tail end. Grating daikon by moving the daikon piece lengthwise also reduces the hotness than grating it crosswise.
If your grated daikon is pepperly and hot, you can microwave it without covering for 45 seconds or so to let the isothiocyanate evaporate.
I should put the above in the Note section of my recipe card. Thanks for commenting on this.
Amazing! Two ingredients I have known since childhood and have probably never had on the same table….What a great combination they make. Really enjoyed how refreshing this dish it. Thank you for another wonderful recipe!
Hi Afra, yes, I was amazed too.
This looks light, healthy and tasty. Have the smoked salmon but have to find the daikon…see them sometimes at Woolies but not always. Yes, the meal ideas post is very helpful. Would not quite know what goes with what and this really helps. Thank you.
Hi Elizabeth, it is light and makes the dish refreshing. If there is a Harris Farm Market near by, they sell daikon, too. I am glad to know that Meal Idea is useful.
Hi, was wondering whether I could use leftover grilled Miso Salmon. It was a huge piece and I don’t know what to do with the leftover Salmon
Jasmine, I am sure you can!
We had this for supper tonight, using home-smoked salmon and slices of buttered sour-dough bread. We bumped up the contents to provide a main meal for 2 – and it was fantastic! I’m under orders to smoke some more salmon so we can have it again soon. Only problem – in the printed recipe it mentions “1/4 light soy sauce”. 1/4 what? I just used a small amount, but for people who follow a recipe exactly that could be something of concern!
Anyway – 5 stars from us!
Hi Peter, I am glad you liked it. Smoking salmon at home? Yum! The flavour must be nothing to compare. Thanks for pointing out the missing word! Just fixed.
I really like your posts! Thank you for putting so much thought into them!
Hi Karen, thank you! I hope you try Smoked Salmon Mizore-ae.