Furofuki Daikon
Furofuki Daikon, Simmered Japanese Radish with Yuzu Miso
This simple simmered daikon dish is one of the most comforting ways to enjoy Japanese radish at home. Gently cooked in kombu-infused water until tender, the daikon becomes juicy, subtly sweet, and incredibly soothing. Topped with fragrant yuzu miso, it’s a classic dish often served in winter - but honestly, it’s delicious year-round.
If you’ve ever had furofuki daikon (ふろふき大根) at a Japanese restaurant, you’ll be surprised how easy it is to recreate at home with just a few ingredients.
RECIPE
Servings: 2-3
Time: 50 min
Ingredients:
1/2 medium daikon
2 pcs kombu, about 1-1.5 inch square
3 cups water, or enough to cover the daikon
Yuzu miso (store-bought or homemade)
Instructions:
Prepare the kombu dashi base
Place the kombu in a pot and add water.
Let it soak for 10 minutes to gently draw out the umami.
Prepare the daikon (Japanese method)
Cut the daikon into 1 inch thick rounds with the skin on.
Peel the skin off thickly after slicing.
A good guideline is to remove the outer layer until the fibrous lines inside the skin are gone.
Trim the sharp edges of the daikon by shaving off the corners (it’s called “mentori”).
This helps prevent it from breaking apart during simmering and allows the flavors to soak in more easily.
Make a shallow cross-shaped cut on one side only of each daikon round, about 1/3 inch deep.
This helps the daikon cook evenly and absorb flavors better.
Simmer the daikon
Add the prepared daikon to the pot with the kombu.
Adjust the water so the daikon is fully submerged.
Place the pot over medium heat and bring it to a gentle boil.
Once boiling, lower the heat and simmer for about 30 minutes
Check for doneness
After 30 minutes, insert a skewer or chopstick into the center of the daikon.
If it goes through smoothly, it’s ready. If there’s resistance, continue cooking for a few more minutes and check again.
Prepare the yuzu miso
While the daikon is simmering, prepare your yuzu miso - my recipe is here
Assemble and serve
Arrange the hot daikon on a plate, spoon a generous amount of yuzu miso on top.
Serve immediately while steaming hot.
My Kitchen Tool:
Why it’s called Furofuki Daikon?
There are a few commonly shared explanations behind the name, “Furofuki”
During the Edo period, daikon cultivation was especially popular in the Ise region. At the time, people favored very hot steam baths, and it was common to blow on the body to help loosen and scrub away dirt. Because of this association, the dish came to be called “furofuki daikon” (literally, “bath-blown daikon”).
There is also another theory: in winter, lacquer artisans struggled because lacquer dried poorly in the cold. A monk advised them to spray mist made from boiled daikon water in their bath-like workspaces to help the lacquer dry. When they tried it, it worked. The leftover boiled daikon was then shared with neighbors as “the daikon used to blow steam in the bath,” which is said to be another origin of the name.
Tips & Notes
This dish is all about gentle cooking—avoid boiling too hard to keep the daikon clear and tender.
The leftover simmering liquid can be used as a light soup base or for cooking other vegetables.
If yuzu miso isn’t available, a simple sweet miso works beautifully too.
