Roasted Radish Salad
Photo: Ajna Jai / Contributor
Usually relegated to crudité plates or a salad add-on, radishes get little respect in the western cooking world. But one just has to look over at the vast and varied culture of Asia, where they first grew in the wild, to see the umpteen ways to enjoy these pungent cruciferous little globes. From quick pickles in a Vietnamese banh mi to brightening up a Thai cucumber salad to making the north Indian Punjabi “mooli” paratha, radishes are used all over Asia.
Seeing the vast array of brightly colored radishes at the farmer’s markets these days makes me want to find more ways to enjoy them — particularly the large, purple heirloom Japanese radishes that appear perfect for roasting.
Roasting radishes diminishes their pungent flavor and adds an interesting sweetness. The hardest part of this recipe may just be deciding how best to arrange the vegetables on the platter — it’s a visual feast.