Spicy Roasted Daikon Radish French Fries

These Spicy Roasted Daikon Radish French Fries are a sure fire way to get everyone to love daikon radishes. Full of delicious Asian flavors and caramelized to perfection, it's one of the most unique daikon recipes.

Look, I'm just going to be totally honest with you. While they may look like potato fries, they're not -- nor are they trying to be potato fries.

They're Daikon Fries, and proud of it.

Of all the daikon recipes I've tasted, this is my favorite.

*Don't expect the same texture that you'd find in a potato French fry.

The roasting process leaves these Daikon Radish Fries with a wonderful caramelized "crust," but they will be considerably more soft than crisp.

Oh, and I wouldn't even think about dipping them in any sort of a sauce. There's simply no need.

The Ingredients

Each fry is a mouthful of these scrumptious flavors.

• Daikon - Choose daikon that feel heavy for their size, with smooth, firm skin and no soft spots or wrinkles. Bright green, perky leaves are a sign it’s fresh. To store it, cut off the leaves (they draw moisture out of the radish), place daikon in a Ziploc bag, and keep refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.
• chili paste - I use Sambal Oelek.
• fresh ginger - Fresh ginger roots should be firm and feel heavy for their size.
• Tamari or soy sauce - Tamari is slightly thicker and richer than regular soy sauce, and it's usually gluten-free. You can use either.
• grapeseed oil - Or other neutral oil, like vegetable.
• sugar - Just a touch!
• salt - I cook with Kosher salt because I like its larger flake size and it usually doesn't contain additives. (If you use table salt, use half the amount.)

(See recipe card below for quantities.)

What is a Daikon Radish?

Daikon is a long white Asian radish that looks like a parsnip, though it’s usually much larger. It’s also known as white radish, winter radish or mooli, depending on where you shop.

Other Ways to Cook Daikon

Daikon is one of the most versatile vegetables around. Here are some of my favorite ways to enjoy it:

• Roasted. This is my favorite! High heat caramelizes the edges and mellows daikon's peppery bite, which is exactly what makes these fries so excellent.
• Pickled. Quick-pickled in rice vinegar with a little sugar and salt, daikon turns tangy and super crunchy. It's also a key ingredient in my Homemade Kimchi.
• Simmered in soups and stews. Daikon soaks up broth beautifully and turns tender and silky, a bit like a turnip. It's a staple in Japanese and Korean soups.
• Stir-fried. Cut it into thin matchsticks and toss it in a hot pan with garlic, ginger and a splash of soy sauce until they're as tender as you'd like. This should just take a few minutes.
• Raw. Grate it or slice it paper-thin for salads and slaws. In Japan, grated daikon is often served alongside tempura to balance the richness.

How to Make Them

- Preheat the oven to 475°F, and adjust a rack to the center.

- Cut the Daikon into sections approximately 3-inches long.

- Cut about ¼-inch slices off the side of each one, to make a base. Stand the sections on their bases, and cut them, vertically into slices about ¼-inch thick. Stand these slices on top of each other, and then cut them into sticks about ¼-inch thick. Add all of the Daikon slices to a baking sheet and set aside.

- Combine the oil, chili paste, Tamari or soy sauce, ginger, sugar and salt. Drizzle this over the Daikon and mix.

- Spread the coated Daikon fries on a sheet pan and roast them in the preheated 475°F oven until they are golden brown on all sides, about 30 minutes. (You should gently toss/flip them about halfway through the cooking time.)

- Add a double layer of paper towels to another baking sheet, and when the fries are done, add them on top of the towels to drain and cool.

(More detailed instructions are below.)

What to Serve with Daikon Radish French Fries

The possibilities are really endless, as these fries pair really well with all types of dishes.

They would be great added to an Asian-style menu, along with my Crispy Garlic Ginger Bok Choy Chips and Miso Gai Lan Egg Soup. All of these flavors and textures will complement each other beautifully.

And adding a green salad is always a great idea.

Can you make them ahead?

I don't recommend making these too far ahead -- you don't want them sitting out for more than about 15 minutes before serving.

They're best as close to the time they come out of the oven as possible because they'll lose some of their crispness, and they're already a softer fry.

That said, even when they're softer, they're still amazingly tasty.

I often serve them with Asian Pear Marinated Steak or Broiled Black Cod with Bok Choy.

A Few More Daikon Recipes

• Homemade Kimchi
• Daikon Rolls
• Asian Pear and Daikon Salad

You simply won't be able to stop snacking on them!

Thank you Melissa's Produce for sending me Asian produce which inspired this recipe, and others.

More of My Favorite French Fry Recipes

Want even more tasty fries? Check out my roundup of unique homemade French fry recipes.

If you try this Daikon radish recipe, or any of my other recipes, I’d love to hear what you think in the comments. You can also follow me on Instagram, Pinterest and Facebook to keep up with my mouth-watering recipes!

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