Namasu (Daikon and Carrot Salad)
Namasu is carrot and daikon radish lightly pickled in sweetened vinegar. Crunchy and tangy with a bright taste, it‘s a refreshing salad enjoyed year-round. With its celebratory red and white colors, it‘s also an important dish in Osechi Ryori or traditional Japanese New Year foods.
Foto: Just One Cookbook
Ingredients
- 14 oz daikon radish ((4 inches, 10 cm))
- 3 oz carrot ((2 inches, 5 cm))
- 1 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 1½ Tbsp sugar
- 1½ Tbsp rice vinegar (unseasoned)
- 1 Tbsp water
- ¼ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 1 –2 strips yuzu zest ((optional))
Steps
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Before You Start: If you will include this dish in your Osechi meal, I recommend preparing it 2–3 days before you plan to serve. For more helpful tips on planning your Japanese New Year feast, please read my A 5-Day Osechi Cooking Timeline blog post.
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Gather all the ingredients.
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Peel 14 oz daikon radish. Next, peel 3 oz carrot.
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Cut the daikon in half so each piece is 2 inches long. This will be the length of the daikon matchsticks in the final dish. Next, julienne the daikon: First, cut the daikon lengthwise into thin slabs about ⅛ inch (3 mm) thick.
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Then, stack a few slabs together and cut the daikon into matchsticks, about ⅛ inch (3 mm) thick. Put them in a large bowl. Repeat with the remaining slabs.
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Julienne the carrot: Cut it lengthwise into thin slabs and then into matchsticks about ⅛ inch (3 mm) thick. Add them to the bowl with the daikon.
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Add 1 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt to the bowl and gently rub it into the vegetables. Set aside for 10 minutes.
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Meanwhile, in a large bowl combine all the ingredients for the seasonings: 1½ Tbsp sugar, 1½ Tbsp rice vinegar (unseasoned), 1 Tbsp water, and ¼ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt.
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Whisk well together until the sugar is completely dissolved.
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Squeeze the liquid from the daikon and carrot matchsticks. Add them to the bowl with the seasonings and toss well to combine.
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Cut off 1–2 strips yuzu zest from the base of the yuzu (so you can create a yuzu cup (optional); see the next section). Flip them over and cut off the white pith, if any.
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Then, cut the zest into thin julienned strips.
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Serve the Namasu in a bowl and garnish with the yuzu zest. If you have a whole yuzu fruit, you can create a yuzu cup: Cut off the top (to serve as a lid) and remove the fruits inside without breaking or tearing the cup. Then, add the Namasu to the yuzu cup and serve.
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You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container and keep them for 3 days in the refrigerator or for up to a month in the freezer.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Macronutrients
*DV = Daily Value based on a 2,000 calorie diet
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