Buri Daikon

Buri Daikon

This is a classic winter dish in Japan. Buri (yellowtail) is in season at the moment. The dish is actually best when made with ara, which are the small bits and pieces near the head and tail that are often packaged up and sold at a cheaper price than filets. In this dish we used filets as it was all that was at the market and we were craving this dish. The yellowtail pieces are delicate and fall apart. The daikon is also tender and juicy. A bit of ginger adds a gentle heat to the dish. We love this with a warm saké.

1 kg yellowtail

1.5 kg daikon

stock:

3 cups water

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup mirin (look for hon-mirin)

3 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon soy sauce (reserved to add later)

ginger, julienned for garnish

Peel the daikon and cut into bite-size pieces. If using ara, it needs to be blanched quickly in hot water and then shocked in ice water. If using filets, so need to do this step. The blanching in hot water helps to rid it of some of its fishiness, which we don't see too much in filets.

Put the yellowtail, daikon, and stock in a large pot and simmer. Remove any scum as it comes up. Simmer for about 30 minutes. It is done when you can push a toothpick through the daikon and it is tender.

Turn off the heat and let is cool down in the broth. It is during this time that the flavor seeps into the daikon and yellowtail.

Just before serving, turn the heat onto high. With a spoon, pour some of the stock over the daikon and yellowtail. Add 1 tablespoon of soy sauce. Turn off the heat and put in a serving bowl.

Garnish with some julienned ginger.

Simmered Squid and Daikon いか大根の煮物

Simmered squid and daikon is a great first dish for cooks new to squid. The best part of this dish is how tender the squid is. The hardest part of making this dish was cleaning the squid. If buying your squid from a good fishmonger you can ask them to clean it for you.


400 grams daikon
1 surumeika
20 grams ginger, cut into thick slices
vegetable oil

1 1/2 cups dashi
1/4 cup sake
2 Tbsp. mirin
1 Tbsp. sugar

Peel the daikon and cut into large chunks.

Clean the squid. Remove the head from the body. Remove the innards from the squid body and discard. (In our house, if the squid is fresh, Shinji keeps the liver, slices it, and eats it with soy sauce. I'll take a small bite but am not a big fan unless I've had some sake or shochu to warm me up to the idea.)

Carefully clean the legs and be sure to scrub carefully to remove the hard bits on the tentacles. Cut the legs just below the eye and be sure to remove the squid's beak or mouth. Separate the legs by cutting the meat.

For the body, be sure to remove the cartilage inside and carefully rinse the squid. Slice into rings.

In a pot saute the ginger in some vegetable oil for a minute. Add the daikon and squid and saute.

Add to the pot the dashi, sake, mirin, and sugar.

Simmer for 15 minutes or until the daikon is tender. Ideally with an otoshibuta (drop lid) or paper lid. Alternatively, a lid.

Garnish with julienned yuzu and shichimi togarashi (both optional).