Bettara-zuke (Daikon Pickled in Amazake)

Quick answer

Total time: 30 min
Level: Easy
Servings: 12 servings
Ingredients: 4

About this dish

Bettara-zuke is a moist Tokyo daikon pickle.

Peeled radish is divided into thick spears, cured overnight with salt, lightly rinsed, and coated with prepared amazake and dried chili for another two to three days. It is traced to lightly pickled daikon sold at Edo-period Ebisu observances, and one origin story links its name to the sticky koji coating that could cling to clothing. Unlike fully dried takuan, the daikon retains water and a crisp bite while amazake supplies gentle sweetness and a white fermented coating. Bettara stalls still gather at the autumn market of Takarada Ebisu Shrine in Nihonbashi.

Ingredients (12 servings)

Ingredient	Amount	Unit
daikon radish	1500	g
salt	35	g
prepared amazake	300	g
dried red chili	1	piece

Instructions

Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.

6 steps

1

Finish

Wash the pickling container and press plate and dry them completely.

Peel 1500g daikon, cut it in half crosswise, then quarter each section lengthwise to make 8 thick long spears.
2

Finish

Rub all surfaces of the daikon evenly with 35g salt and pack the pieces tightly in the container.

Add the press plate and a clean weight about half the daikon's weight, cover, and cure under refrigeration at 4°C or below for 8 to 12 hours.
3

Season

After the overnight cure, pour off all collected liquid.

Give the daikon one very brief rinse under cold running water to remove surface salt, then dry it carefully with a clean towel or paper towels.
4

Prep

Place the daikon and 300g prepared amazake in a newly washed, dry airtight container.

Stem and seed 1 dried chili, cut it into thin rings, add it, and use a clean spatula to coat every daikon surface generously with amazake.
5

Step

Seal the container and mature it in the refrigerator at 4°C or below for 2 to 3 days.

Once daily, turn the daikon with a clean spatula so the amazake contacts it evenly, and do not leave the container at room temperature during curing.
6

Finish

When the daikon bends slightly yet stays crisp and tastes gently sweet, slice it 8mm thick to serve.

Keep refrigerated after curing. If mold, unpleasant odor, or abnormal ropiness appears, discard the entire batch without tasting.

Practical Cooking Checks

The cues that matter most while cooking.

Key technique: Thick daikon spears salted overnight
Finish cue: When the daikon bends slightly yet stays crisp and tastes gently sweet, slice it 8mm thick to serve.
Avoid this: Once daily, turn the daikon with a clean spatula so the amazake contacts it evenly, and do not leave the container at room temperature during curing.
Storage and reheating: Peeled radish is divided into thick spears, cured overnight with salt, lightly rinsed, and coated with prepared amazake and dried chili for another two to three days.