Radishes are often used for decoration only and are left neglected on the side of a plate, much like a sprig of parsley. Radishes however are delicious in their own right and can be used in many radish recipes. There are a lot of different radish varieties and, as well as buying them in the supermarket, you can find a variety of radish types and perhaps grow your own hydroponics radishes. Finding out how to plant radish is easy and growing radishes is fun. Buying them in the supermarket first is a good idea, to try the different types and experiment with them in your cooking.



The Cherry Bell is the most common type of radish found in the supermarket. This radish has a red skin and a white interior. It is tasty and flavorsome. Champions have a similar coloring but are milder in taste. Plum Purple radishes stay crisp for longer and are great served as part of a sandwich filling. The black radish, also called the Spanish black radish is dry, pungent, and white inside. It is larger than a regular radish and resembles a turnip. Spanish black radishes have been used since the time of the pharaohs.

A lot of people like to eat raw radishes, either alone or as part of a sandwich or salad. If you are using a mild type of radish, you can eat them on spiced bread with unsalted butter. You might also want to add some cheddar or mozzarella to your radish sandwich for some extra texture and flavor. Radishes can be served alone, whole or sliced, with a dipping sauce, or arranged artistically on pretty much any salad recipe.

Radishes usually make better side dishes and garnishes than full dishes because of their small size but you can use them in many radish recipes. You might want to add a few slices over a California melody soup or a Clam chowder for an interesting color and a spicy flavor.

You might want to add some radishes to your stir-fry because they are crunchy and have a high water content. If you would like to use radishes in your main course, brushes halved radishes with olive oil and cook them in the oven for 15 minutes. They can then be used to add spice and color to a roast beef recipe or chicken recipe.

Have a look in the international section of your supermarket too. You might find daikon radishes, which are large white tubers. These are also known as Japanese radishes and are a lot milder than their North American and European counterparts, although still as tasty.

One Southeast Asian dish calls for daikon and carrots to be grated together and then mixed with shredded chicken, before the whole salad is tossed using a white vinegar and sugar dressing. Similarly, you can choose to pickle whole slices of daikon as well, using a solution of your favorite type of vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper. The longer you wait before eating, the stronger the daikon will taste, but even after eight hours, you'll have a tasty treat.

Cooking with radishes is both easy and an international experience. The next time you are shopping for food, pick up a bunch of radishes and see what wonderful recipes you can use these delicious vegetables in the next time you cook.