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A Case for the Radish
They sit left behind
on relish trays. They’re often by-passed in grocery
store refrigerator shelves. Dad and Grandpa usually
eat them but later complain of belching them up. The
poor radish has gotten a bum rap. There are at least
five different varieties; but for now, the popular,
red globe variety will be spotlighted. They are a great
source of vitamin C and an excellent low calorie snack
(only 12 calories in a half cup of radishes). Radishes
are root vegetables that are classified in the cabbage
and mustard family, thus their strong taste.
Most people eat them raw, with a little
salt. If you’d like your radishes to be a little
crispier and a little less sharp in taste, put them
in ice water for a couple hours before you plan to eat
them. There are also a number of ways to cook them.
Boil a half inch of water, add the sliced radishes,
and then cover and simmer until tender, adding more
water if necessary. Cook five to ten minutes. To microwave,
place a half pound of sliced radishes in a microwave
safe dish with 1 tablespoon of water or broth. Cook
for approximately four minutes.
If the taste of raw radishes is a little
too pungent for some, try them steamed. Their bright
red skin will turn pink on steamed radishes. The easiest
way to steam them is to place whole radishes in a vegetable
steamer and cook over boiling water until barely tender.
Cook approximately eight to twelve minutes. Another
way to prepare our friend, the red radish, is to stir
fry them. Sliced radishes combine well with other vegetables
and meat in stir-fries. Don’t over cook them or
they’ll become mushy. Cook approximately three
to five minutes.
As Cliff Claven would say, “It’s
a little known fact that …” radishes were
first cultivated thousands of years ago in China, then
in Egypt and Greece. In Greece they were so highly regarded
that gold replicas were made. (Now that’s some
serious radish lovers!)
So the next time you walk past radishes
in the grocery store or at the market, back track a
few steps and pick up a bunch or two. Or better yet,
plant some in your garden this year. Radishes are one
of the very first vegetables ready for harvest in the
spring. They will in turn, ready your soil for other
veggies! Give these little guys a chance again.
1howto.com
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