In winter, vitamins, fiber and other beneficial microelements are available in fresh fruits from the garden, provided they are properly collected and subsequently placed. In order for the root vegetables to remain strong and juicy for many months, it is important to know when daikon radish is removed from the garden for storage.
The vegetable contains a small amount of calories; it is eaten fresh or added to dishes during cooking.
Japanese radish has the following positive qualities:
- improving the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract;
- antiseptic properties;
- Helps cleanse the liver and kidneys.
Collecting daikon for storage
The harvest is harvested when cool and dry weather sets in, but frost has not yet set in, because sub-zero temperatures damage the above-ground part of the root crops and long-term storage will have to be forgotten. You should not keep them in the ground, otherwise voids will form inside, and the pulp will lose its taste and become hard.
If the radish grew in heavy soil, you should not pull the tops when harvesting, because of this the root system easily breaks.
It is recommended to dig up vegetables using a shovel or pitchfork.
After the daikon is completely removed from the beds, it is necessary to place the fruits in the air to dry the soil remaining on them. To avoid damaging the thin skin, it is not recommended to wash and peel the collected vegetables; it is only permissible to lightly shake off the remaining soil from them. It is necessary to protect the radish from sunlight, as it becomes flabby.
Storing daikon
Before placing vegetables for the winter, the entire radish crop is sorted and inspected. Fruits left for long-term storage must be even, smooth, and not damaged. The tops are carefully cut using scissors.
How to store daikon correctly? There are several ways to do this.
In the cellar
Placing radishes in basements and cellars is one of the best solutions. After all, it is there that optimal conditions for vegetables are created. Root crops that last the longest are those that are harvested in late September - early October.
Before harvesting, wooden boxes are purchased or made independently, then sifted through coarse river sand.
Vegetables are carefully inspected before long-term storage. Root crops with damaged skins and signs of rotting are immediately eliminated.A small stain on the surface of a different shade is a clear indication that the product has begun to deteriorate. Such a radish will not be able to last even 1 month, but it will easily destroy the crop, as it is a source of bacteria.
Daikon is laid in even layers and sprinkled with abundantly damp sand. It is important that the root vegetables only touch the sand, but not each other. Boxes are stored at a temperature of +1...+5 degrees. Humidity should be approximately 70–90%.
Ideal conditions for storing daikon are a stable temperature, lack of sunlight, and maintaining humidity in the boxes (periodically moistening the sand will help achieve this).
Dry sand can draw moisture from the radish, thereby damaging the crop.
Japanese daikon is perfectly preserved in cellars next to carrots and fodder beets.
In a refrigerator
Many gardeners grow daikon in small quantities. Their harvest includes several root vegetables that can be preserved at home in the kitchen. Each radish is wrapped in a bag that allows air to pass through. You can make holes in it with a fork. All vegetables are stored on the bottom shelf in the refrigerator. This method of storing daikon can keep the vegetables fresh for three to five weeks.
Attention! Before putting radishes in the refrigerator, you do not need to wet them, much less wash them. After all, this will quickly destroy the crop. Root vegetables can be dried and lightly cleaned of soil residues. Of course, fruits with damaged skins are eaten immediately; they cannot be stored for a long time.
Freezing
Daikon keeps well until next summer in the freezer. To do this, root vegetables are cut or grated on a coarse grater.If it is small, the radish will begin to secrete juice, and you will end up with a frozen lump of ice, which will then be problematic to eat.
Pre-crushed daikon is placed in small portions in plastic bags or special plastic containers. All this is placed in the freezer.
When you need the radish, remove it and defrost it at room temperature before using it.
Important! This method allows the beneficial microelements to be preserved in the fruits. If defrosted daikon is put back into the freezer, then such a product rich in vitamins will become a tasteless, flabby mass, devoid of any benefit.
Conservation
You can make snacks from daikon and put them in jars for the winter. Typically, a salad is made from fresh root vegetables and carrots. Ingredients in the form of vegetables and seafood are added to it.
Refueling is selected independently at your choice:
- vegetable oil;
- mayonnaise;
- oil-lemon.
Preparing the snack begins with chopping the daikon; it can be grated on a coarse grater or cut into cubes. The radish is mixed with carrots, then everything is poured with marinade and the lid is tightly screwed on. Banks are stored in cool places.
For the marinade you will need the following ingredients:
- water;
- vinegar;
- salt;
- sugar;
- pepper;
- aromatic herbs.
The resulting mixture is brought to a boil, then cooled. Such pickled vegetables serve as the basis for winter salads, as a separate dish, or added to meat.
You can prepare a more complex marinade for daikon. First, apple and rice vinegar are mixed, then lemon zest, turmeric, garlic and hot seasoning of your choice are added. The fruits are cut into rings or half rings.This appetizer will please your household and surprise your guests.
Radish juice
The juice contained in daikon is incredibly healthy; it retains all the microelements from the root vegetable. People whose stomachs are irritated by radish fiber can drink this juice and not be afraid of the consequences.
If it is not possible to preserve root vegetables for a long time or the crop was damaged during harvesting, storing daikon juice for the winter is the best way to process excess vegetables.
Using a juicer, a drink is prepared and poured into sterilized glass jars or bottles. The container with juice is pasteurized in a water bath for half an hour. Then all containers are tightly closed with lids and placed in dark, cool places for storage.
Japanese radish is a very tasty and healthy vegetable. It contains a large amount of vitamins and beneficial microelements. If the harvest turns out to be rich, and it is not possible to eat everything at once, there are several ways to keep root vegetables fresh for many months. Thanks to this, the benefits of daikon are not lost, and the taste remains excellent.
