Radish
Raphanus sativus · Root vegetable
3 varietiesTop 10 pairings
The radish is the crisp, peppery swollen root of a fast-growing member of the cabbage and mustard family, eaten raw for its juicy crunch and clean, sinus-tingling bite. The same family of mustard-oil compounds that arms horseradish, wasabi and mustard gives the radish its sharpness, but in a milder, watery, refreshing form that mellows almost completely when cooked. It ranges from the little scarlet salad globe to the great white Asian daikon that anchors East Asian cooking.
Picking a good onedrag
Snapping hard, tops upLimp, pithy, hollow
Shop firmEveryday bestSalads, slaws, tacos, quick pickles.
TopsGreen and flopping, no yellow in them
HeftFirm all over, tail bends a little
SkinMatte, a fine cracked line or two
Smell at the stemEarthy and neutral, faintly green
What you get from one
90%
Edible part
4.5 g · stem ends and rootlets off
5 g
Weight each
each one
Keeping ittap a temperature
A domestic fridge holds it about 5× longer than the counter.
90–95%
Humidity
Bagged, not sealed
Airflow