Recipe for maple miso glazed radishes {vegan, gluten-free}
Every year on December 23, the city of Oaxaca, Mexico, celebrates the Night of the Radishes, when the zocalo (central square) comes alive with music and dancing, and sculptures and decorations made entirely of radishes. By the time my husband Ted, Cousin Martin and I arrived in Oaxaca a few days after the festival for New Year's Eve, the radishes were gone, not only from the zocalo, but also, it seemed, from every menu in town. So, instead of sharing a Mexican recipe for radishes, I offer this simple side dish with a maple miso glaze. If you can't find miso at your supermarket (it will be in the refrigerated or produce section), you can buy it in any Asian market. Sweet, salty, easy, and oh-so-red. Serve these radishes hot or cold.
Maple miso glazed radishes
From the pantry, you'll need: maple syrup, fresh ginger root, miso, sesame oil, rice vinegar.
Serves 3-4.
Ingredients
1 Tbsp maple syrup
1/2 tsp grated ginger root
1 level Tbsp mild miso
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1-1/2 tsp rice vinegar
1 Tbsp + 1 tsp vegetable or rice bran oil
3 cups trimmed and quartered radishes
Directions
In a small bowl, whisk together the maple syrup, ginger, miso, sesame oil, rice vinegar and 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil. Add 2 tablespoons of water, and whisk again. Set aside.
In a nonstick frying pan, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil. Sauté the radishes over low-medium heat for 3-4 minutes, until they are translucent.
Add the maple miso mixture to the pan, reduce heat to simmer, and cook, uncovered, 3-4 minutes, until the radishes are glazed and most of the liquid has evaporated.
Remove from heat, and serve hot, at room temperature, or chilled.
More miso and maple syrup recipes in The Perfect Pantry:
Miso-Sriracha glazed salmon
Ginger-maple-miso salad dressing
Asparagus in miso sauce
Spinach salad with glazed beets and blue cheese
Poached pears
Other recipes that use these pantry ingredients:
Asian sugar snap pea salad with radishes and edamame, from Kalyn's Kitchen
Snap pea and radish slaw, from Sass & Veracity
Pickled radishes, from David Lebovitz
Pan roasted radishes, from I Breathe... I'm Hungry...
Grilled radish packets, from Sarah's Cucina Bella
Disclosure: The Perfect Pantry earns a few pennies on purchases made through the Amazon.com links in this post. Thank you for supporting this site when you start your shopping here.
I have seen recipes for sweet radish dishes and am so intrigued. The maple miso glaze already tempts me and would make me eat about anything! I love the flavors. I would love to try radishes cooked this way. I'll bet it is so delicious.
Jamie, I'd go so far as to call this radish candy! I'm not a huge fan of radishes, but this recipe is one I make over and over again.
Love this idea Lydia! I'm not a big fan of radishes but I get them in my CSA Box each summer.
Cooking radishes is something I've been enjoying the last couple years, and now I can't wait to try this version - I imagine the miso and maple flavors go together beautifully!
Jeanette, same here. I don't love radishes, but I love these, and I hope you will, too.
Donalyn, it's the sweet and salty combination that really works well here. Hope you like them.
I never know what to do with the abundance of radishes I get from my CSA! Now, I do!
Sounds intriguing to me, Lydia--I've found I like radish sandwiches, and radish pizza, but I'd like to try this for a way to perhaps the rest of the family in my radish eating ventures.
When I hit the Asian market (sled hockey season is under 10 weeks away, so I'll soon be having my weekly runs) I am bewildered by the variety of miso options available and usually go home empty handed.
Pam, so many people are telling me that their CSA is giving them tons of radishes. Some of these farmers must have great ideas for how to use them!
Kirsten, I'm someone who doesn't love raw radishes, so these cooked ones really worked for me. And I know just what you mean about miso. Check my ingredient post here; I always include a photo of the product, so you have an idea what to look for in the market.
I am so unfamiliar with miso it's shameful! This recipe would be a great way to learn about it, though -- I've always been curious and it looks and sounds delicious. Thanks for including me in your links!
Kelly, miso is so easy to use, and more readily available now in regular grocery stores. Hope you try it.
I also need to venture in to recipes with miso - this might just be the one!