Heso Daikon Nishime (Miyagi Dried Daikon Simmer)
Quick answer
- Active time
- 120 min
- Waiting
- See the steps
- Level
- Medium
- Servings
- 4 servings
- Ingredients
- 13
About this dish
Heso daikon starts as thick rounds of blanched radish threaded on skewers and left to freeze at night and thaw by day for about a month.
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The hole left by the skewer looks like a navel (heso), which gives it its name, and the dried radish keeps until the following summer. In southern Miyagi Prefecture it is simmered with taro, carrot, shiitake, freeze-dried tofu, knotted kombu and kamaboko fish cake until almost no liquid remains.
Ingredients
Instructions
- 1
Rinse the heso daikon lightly and soak it in plenty of cold water overnight.
When the centers feel flexible under finger pressure, drain and press out water gently without twisting.
- 2
Rehydrate the frozen tofu in lukewarm water until soft and press out the liquid.
If the pieces are large, cut each diagonally in half to make triangles.
- 3
Peel the carrot and cut diagonally into 1 cm slices.
Wearing gloves, peel the taro and halve large roots diagonally. Rub the konnyaku with salt, rinse, shape into twisted strips or triangles, and blanch for 2 minutes.
- 4
Soak the dried shiitake in cold water until fully rehydrated and remove the stems.
Strain the soaking liquid through a fine sieve and combine it with the dashi. Halve large mushroom caps.
- 5
Rinse the kombu quickly and cut it into strips 2 to 3 cm wide.
Tie each strip once in a loose but secure knot that will hold during simmering.
- 6
Cut each sasa kamaboko diagonally in half to make eight pieces.
Arrange all prepared ingredients by type so they can be distributed evenly in the pot.
- 7
Arrange the heso daikon and all remaining ingredients evenly in a wide pot.
Add the dashi, mirin, soy sauce, and sugar. Bring to a boil over medium heat, skim, and lower the heat. Cover with a drop lid and simmer for 45 to 55 minutes, rearranging two or three times, until little liquid remains and the taro and daikon are tender.
References checked
These references were consulted when this page was prepared or corrected. A source check does not mean the recipe was independently kitchen-tested.
- 일본 농림수산성 うちの郷土料理
仙台白百合女子大学 高澤 まき子氏 · Checked: 2026-08-11
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