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If you've had too many daikon radishes recently and are tired of making and eating turnip cake (lo bak gao), try this vegetable in these other recipes. 
Daikon radish is a very versatile vegetable and can be eaten raw in salads or pickled, added to favourite soups and stews, or stir-fried with meat and/or vegetables.
Daikon radish soup 
Daikon radish is very low in calories and fat, and is also cholesterol-free. A 100g serving contains only 18 calories and less than 0.1g fat. If you've over-indulged and want something that's light but still tasty, check out this soup.  
Ingredients (Serves 4)
450g daikon radish, peeled, diced 
2 medium potatoes, peeled, diced 
1 litre vegetable stock 
50ml reduced fat milk 
Salt and pepper to taste 
Spring onion, chopped, optional 
Method 
1 Place the daikon, potatoes and stock in a large pot; bring to the boil.
2 Lower the heat, cover with a lid and simmer for 20-30 minutes or until the daikon and potatoes are soft and tender. 
3 Blitz the soup using a stick blender.
4 Add the milk, stir and reheat the soup over a medium heat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with spring onions, if using.
5 Serve immediately. 
Nutritional information per serving: 58kcal, 248kJ, 2.4g protein, 0.2g fat, 12.4g carbohydrates, 0.7g fibre
Daikon, cucumber & carrot salad 
Raw daikon has a pungent, peppery taste. Soaking it in water before you use it helps not only to make it taste milder, but gives it a lovely crunchy texture that's ideal for salads. 
Ingredients 
250g daikon radish, peeled, thinly sliced 
1 medium carrot, peeled, thinly sliced 
1 cucumber, thinly sliced 
Juice of one lime 
1 tbsp brown sugar 
1 tbsp fish sauce 
1 red chili, chopped finely, optional 
1/4 clove garlic, pureed, optional 
Handful of coriander, chopped 
Method 
1 Soak the daikon radish in a large bowl of cold water for 15-20 minutes to crisp.
2 Meanwhile, make the dressing by mixing the lime juice, sugar, fish sauce, chilli and garlic if using, in a small bowl until the sugar has dissolved. Set aside.
3 Drain the radish and place in a serving bowl together with the carrot and cucumber.
4 Pour over the salad dressing, add the coriander, mix thoroughly and serve immediately.
Nutritional information per 100g: 31kcal, 124kJ, 1.2g protein, 0.2g fat. 6/6g carbohydrates, 0.6g fibre
Daikon and shiitake mushroom stir fry 
This dish is also perfect to use as a filling in Chinese steamed buns and dumplings. 
Ingredients 
1 tbsp oil 
1 clove garlic, chopped 
2 shallots, peeled, chopped 
10-12 small dried shrimps 
450g daikon radish, peeled, grated 
4 dried shiitake mushrooms, reconstituted, cut into strips 
2 tbsp vegetable stock 
pinch of sugar 
1 tsp light soy sauce 
salt and white pepper to taste 
1 tsp sesame oil 
2 spring onions, cut into 4cm strips 
Method 
1 Heat the oil in a lidded, non-stick frying pan or wok over a medium to high heat.
2 Add garlic, shallots and dried shrimp, and stir fry for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
3 Add the daikon and shiitake mushrooms and stir fry for a few minutes until slightly softened; add the stock and sugar.
4 Place the lid on the pan, turn the heat to low and simmer for 5-8 minutes or until the radish is soft.
5 Add soy sauce and sesame oil and stir, then season to taste with salt and pepper.
6 Toss in the spring onions and mix well. Serve immediately.
Nutritional information per 100g: 55kcal, 231kJ, 2.6g protein, 2.6g fat, 5.6g carbohydrates, 0.1g fibre
Wynnie Chan is a British-trained nutritionist. If you've got a question for her or would like to be featured in this column, e-mail nutrition@scmp.com



Versatile vegetable roots out tasty alternatives