Get rad about radish: Spice up the unsung winter vegetable with these chef tips

When one talks about winter ingredients, every kind of vegetable steals the show except the humble radish. The root vegetable, usually available in the green and white variety, is not among the most favourite ingredients people want to eat simply because of its taste. The sharp pungent flavour and peppery aftertaste is as inviting as the classic bitter gourd (karela) for most people. However, that doesn't mean there aren't better, more appetising ways to eat it, than what we already know.

The easiest way to experiment with the ingredient is by starting simple and then proceeding to more complex flavours. Mid-day Online reached out to chefs in the city to shine light on how the winter vegetable can be used so that it is not boring to people, a reason why many opt out of buying it at the market. These recipes explore the vegetable in a classic toast, as a local Indian salad, and with cheese too.

Avocado on toast with radish by Chef Arnez Driver, La Poz Place, Fort
The classic avocado on toast has been a rage for quite a while now. Imagine putting in some extra layers that could give a unique twist to the dish. At the newly-opened La Poz Place, Chef Driver prepares it with a crunchy French baguette croute, sweet and spiced red bell pepper jam, pickled pink radish and a creamy hass avocado. He explains, "Radish is a humble and simple vegetable that is overlooked by everybody. It's mainly used for its pungent and spicy flavour and crunch." However, Driver says, the common misconception is that it is not nutritious and people are put off because of its flavour and pungency. "If it's prepared correctly, the pungency will complement your dish beautifully," he reminds.

While it is usually used in parathas and side-dishes, the city chef pickles them to add crunch and a tangy flavour to the toast.

Ingredients:

Pickled pink radish:(Leave for pickling over night for best results)
White wine vinegar - 1 cup, peppercorns - 5 nos, sugar - 40 gms, bay leaf: 1 nos, salt: ½ tsp, baby pink radish - 1 cup.

Red bell pepper jam
Roasted red bell pepper - 3 nos, roasted tomato: 1 nos, balsamic vinegar: 1 tbsp, brown Sugar: 1 tbsp, thyme - 4 sprigs, pinch of salt, pinch of black pepper, olive oil - 1 tbsp, agar agar - ½ tsp.

French Bread Croute
French baguette - 12 slices, extra virgin olive oil - 2 tbsp.

Topping
Hass Avocado - 2 nos, feta cheese - 2 tbsp, extra virgin olive oil - for drizzling.

Method:

For the pickled pink radish
1. Take a saucepan, place on low heat.
2. Add the white wine vinegar, sugar, black peppercorns, bay leaf, salt and simmer until the sugar melts.
3. Cool the mixture and add juliennes of pink radish to the mixture and pickle it overnight for best result.

For the red bell pepper jam
1. Take 3 whole red bell peppers, one whole tomato and roast in the oven at 200C until the skin is charred.
2. Once cooled take the skins and seeds off the bell peppers and tomato.
3. Add the peeled and deseeded peppers and tomato along with balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, thyme, salt, black pepper, olive oil and blend until smooth.
4. Add the agar-agar with a touch of hot water to the mixture and blend once again.
5. Take the now smooth jam and set it in the refrigerator.

For the croute
1. Slice the French baguette loaf into individual rounds.
2. Rub with a clove of garlic and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil.
3. Place in an oven at 180 degrees Celsius and bake till crisp.

For assembly
1. Take the freshly baked croute.
2. With the help of a knife spread on the bell pepper jam.
3. Place the juliennes of pickled pink radish.
4. Cut the Hass avocado into slices and spread over.
5. Crumble over the feta cheese.
6. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and serve.

Chef Ranveer Brar recommends using the entire winter ingredient in a salad because every part of it is nutritious. Photo Courtesy: Chef Ranveer Brar

Muli aur Methi ka salad by Chef Ranveer Brar
For celebrity chef Ranveer Brar, the muli aur methi ka salad is a personal favourite because it reminds him of eating it with sarson da saag and makke di roti growing up. Apart from that, he says, "Radish or mooli is rich in dietary fibre and aids digestion. It's also naturally rich in vitamin C that boosts immunity." The chef says it may not top everybody's favourite list but its health benefits are hard to ignore. He also recommends never throwing away the radish greens because they are nutritious and can be used in the salad.

Ingredients:

For dressing
Lemon Juice - 1 tbsp, Oil - 1 tsp, green chilies (finely chopped) - 1 tsp, chaat masala - ½ tsp, salt to taste.

For salad
Samudri methi leaves/fenugreek leaves - 1 small bunch, small radish with leaves - 2 nos, tomato (large) - 1 no, onion (large) - 1 no, roasted peanuts - 2 tbsp.

For tempering
Peanut oil - 1 tbsp, large garlic cloves (smashed) - 4-5 nos.

Method:
1. For dressing, take lemon juice in a bowl and add oil in a thin stream while whisking. To this, add rest of the ingredients and mix well. Keep aside.
2. Now, roughly chop methi leaves and radish leaves. Dice the radish, tomato and onion.
3. Combine all the vegetables and add the dressing and mix well.
4. Now heat oil in a pan. Saute the garlic until golden. Add peanuts and pour this hot tempering on the salad and serve.

Chef Amol Phute says radishes are really versatile and while pickling them is personally his favourite, he uses them to make a burrata salad. Photo: Bastian

Radish and burrata salad by Chef Amol Phute, Bastian, Worli
If you want to move over the Indian way of making the vegetable, raise your salad game by not only adding radish but also combining a deliciously creamy burrata with it. Executive chef Phute says radishes are really versatile and can be used in curries, pickled with spices, added to burgers and even used to make a dip with onions. "While cooking, radish surrenders all of its peppery flavour and becomes juicy and mild. That's why there is no dearth of ways of putting this bright but often unsung vegetable to good use," he says. While he personally likes to pickle radishes, Phute uses a different approach for the salad. He adds, "With the burst of dairy and delicate sourness from the cherry tomatoes, the raw accent of shaved radish slices gives you that zing you're always looking for."

Ingredients:
Cherry tomatoes - 2 cups, garlic (cloves) - 4 nos, extra virgin olive oil - 3 tbsp, radish (shaved) - 5-10 slices, diced apples or any other fruit of your choice - 1 cup, salt, pepper to taste - ½ tsp, burrata cheese - 1-2 balls, balsamic vinegar - 2 tsps,

Method:
1. Toss the tomatoes and garlic with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil.
2. Add the apples, fruits and radish
3. Add salt and pepper and toss to coat
4. Add the burrata
5. Drizzle with the olive oil and balsamic vinegar then season with the salt and freshly ground pepper. Toss gently to coat if desired and serve.