All About the Chinese Red Braise | Why it Works with Lucas Sin

soy sauce

🥗Healthier: low-sodium soy sauce

💰Cheaper: tamari

Low-sodium soy sauce reduces sodium intake.

cooking wine

🥗Healthier: white grape juice

💰Cheaper: apple cider vinegar

White grape juice adds sweetness without alcohol.

sugar

🥗Healthier: honey

💰Cheaper: brown sugar

Honey adds flavor complexity.

sesame oil

🥗Healthier: olive oil

💰Cheaper: canola oil

Canola oil is more affordable but less flavorful.

Welcome back to the food 52 Test Kitchen; today we are braising daikon.

Explain that the recipe borrows techniques from Japanese and Chinese cooking to make a delicious Red Braised Daikon.

Discuss the importance of using young daikon for sweetness and avoiding bitterness.

Peel the daikon more than you think to remove bitterness, getting to the veiny layer beneath the skin.

Cut the daikon into pieces about 1.5 to 2 inches, ensuring they are similar in size for even cooking.

Make hidden cuts (crosses) on one side of the daikon to increase surface area for flavor absorption.

Chamfer the edges of the daikon pieces for structural integrity and a neater appearance.

Prepare the aromatics: peel and smash ginger, smash garlic, and cut green onions into segments.

Simmer the daikon with rice or leftover rice water to help remove bitterness; cover with water by at least half an inch.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary

Allergens