Dinner Talk 2 & Radishes

Dear friends,

I am honoured that my fellow blogger, Lion Girl, was inspired to go looking for a Hakka LuiCha Stall after my entry about it, in my last Dinner Talk. She has found one at Taman Cheras. But, alas, I am not very sure of my directions in Cheras and shall attempt to seek it out one fine day when traffic is bearable. Do have a read of her blog at  http://theliongirl.blogspot.com/search/label/Makan Junction to find out where it is...

On with more Dinner Talks. We were treated to delicious radish soup by mum today. Mum has always been telling us that (white) radish (also known as daikon in Japanese) soup is good for us, especially if we are caught in traffic day in and day out. Apparently, radish, which is a regulating food for the body sputum and blood circulation, has the ability to counteract toxic effects in our body. We inhale a large amount of carbon dioxide and fumes in traffic. It is also good for those of us who uses gas cookers too. We would have inadvertently inhaled the cooking gases at some point.

According to The Chinese Food for Longevity by Henry C. Lu, this root vegetable has the ability to also reduce internal heat, promote urination, heal inflamation, expel phlegm and helps with cough. Consumption of raw radishes in large amount can also improve symptoms of silicosis, a lung disease associated to inhalation of dust especially for miners and those who works in blasting sites and dusty construction environment. Silicosis is inflamation and scarring leading to nodular lesions in the lungs.

How to dish up radish soup? You will need a radish of medium size (roughly about a foot in length and of 2 to 3 inches thickness). Cube the radish and boil in a soup pot with chicken or pork (according to your liking) with some dried longans, lightly crushed black pepper seeds, some cubed carrots.

Boil for 3 to 4 hours. Start with heat on high and turn to low heat after 45 minutes or so. We start with about 10 bowls of water. Do add check the water level from time to time, and top up the water if boiling has reduced it.

It is even simpler with a slow cooker. I usually put in enough water to cover the ingredients and meat, plus more. For slow cooker, I always start off the boiling by adding hot water into the pot with the ingredients. I would just leave the whole thing to cook while i retire for the night. It is usually ready in the morning after about 8 hours of sleep.

Add salt and a little soya sauce to taste, at the end of the boiling.

It is also said that in case of poisoning (orally) and there being no other medical help available, pulverise some radishes for its juice. The juices from raw radishes also has the ability to counteract swallowed poison. Drink about 4 to 5 tablespoons or 1/3 glass of it.

Because of it's ability to counteract poison and medication, it is advised that we should not take radish right after taking medication and with other Chinese herbal preparations. Otherwise it would have just neutralised the good effects desired in the medication or herbs.

As we all know, radishes is critical in adding that extra oumph to traditional Chinese sour pork (trotter) dish with black vinegar. Personally, I find that it makes lamb or red meat soup or stew really great tasting with black pepper and some green herbs like parsley added.

Wikipedia writes that "Radishes are rich in ascorbic acid, folic acid, and potassium. They are a good source of vitamin B6, riboflavin, magnesium, copper, and calcium. One cup of sliced red radish bulbs provides approximately 20 calories, largely from carbohydrates."


It also said that, "the raw flesh with its crisp texture and pungent, peppery flavor, caused by glucosinolates and the enzyme myrosinase which combine when chewed to form allyl isothiocyanates, also present in mustard, horseradish, and wasabi."


The radish is a close relative to the mustard plant. It is used widely in salads too. Health Recipes dot com (http://www.healthrecipes.com/radishes.htm) shared that, "ordinary radishes are a great source of vitamin C and are rich in minerals like sulphur, iron, and iodine. Daikon is even better, a source of vitamin C, potassium, magnesium, and folate as well as sulphur, iron, and iodine."

"Radishes can be added to vegetable juice to spice up the flavor a little. In this form, they can help clear your sinus cavities and soothe your sore throat. The vitamin C in radishes is an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory, and has been shown to have a positive effect on asthma symptoms because of its anti-inflammatory properties. Potassium can help lower your risk of kidney stones and strokes, and radishes along a diet high in other fruits and vegetables can significantly lower your risk of multiple sclerosis."

"Besides, the earthy-spicy flavor of radish, unlike any other vegetable, can bring out unexpected flavors in your meals. With no drawbacks, what’s not to like?"

Read full article

Add to: del.icio.us | Digg