Is it a Watermelon or is it a Radish?
It is actually a Watermelon Radish!
Watermelon radish is an heirloom variety of the Chinese daikon radish with a creamy white or light green skin and a magenta pink interior. And the taste? It has the slight spice of the daikon raddish but with a juicy and crisp flavor, making it a favorite in salad bowls and sandwiches.
Watermelon radish is also known as red meat or rooseheart and is a member of the mustard family, alongside turnips, arugula and broccoli. The crop is fast growing and identifiable by its curly green leaves and thin stem.
While it shares a name with a popular fruit the watermelon, it is a vegetable. It is called watermelon radish because of its bright pink flesh and red center.
And then there are health benefits too!
- This root vegetable provides beta-carotene and lutein to boost ocular health.
- The watermelon radish is a good source of antioxidants, vitamins to help the body develop normally and minerals for ensuring the proper functioning of the heart, the bones, the muscles while helping to boost brain power. Vitamins include C and A plus niacin. Minerals include phosphorus, magnesium, calcium as well as zinc, manganese, sodium selenium, iron and copper.
- Watermelon radish is rich in those calories that are good source of energy while the water content helps with body hydration.
Growing watermelon radish at home
Depending on where you live, they can be planted at different times of the year but especially when the soil is warm. Less than an ideal growing season can affect their flavor, becoming more bitter or more peppery although the health benefits will not change even if the taste does. Otherwise, the vegetable's flesh will be sweet and firm.
You can eat them cooked, fresh, hot or cold. They can be added to vegetable salads with creamy dressings or served with feta, butter, noodles, cilantro, citrus, soba, apples, bacon, vinaigrettes, fennel, cooked eggs, tarragon, mint, cucumbers and white fish.
Here is a suggested recipe for you to try
For a healthy salad dish with pickled onion, you will need:
- 1 watermelon radish, sliced and peeled
- 1 onion, sliced and peeled
- 2 tbsp of apple cider vinegar
- ¾ cup of orange juice
- 1/2 tsp of salt
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 tsp of pepper (optional or very minimal)
- 1/4 cup of rice wine (optional for flavor)
Method:
- Place the watermelon radish and onion in a bowl.
- Put in the remaining ingredients and mix.
- Leave to chill in the refrigerator for 9 to12 hours for maximum flavor.
And one more for luck!
This one is for roasted watermelon radishes and will bring out their sweetness...
Rinse and trim the ends of your radishes before cutting into quarters or wedges. Do not peel them. Salt and pepper them before roasting in coconut oil at about 375 F degrees for thirty minutes, tossing halfway through and rotate the pan for even cooking.
Source:
Written by Jane Chitty
Jane writes for Healing Natural Oils, a producer and retailer of high-quality, all-natural treatments for a variety of conditions as well as a range of beauty products. Apart from writing about those various conditions, she also covers general health, environmental and other subjects of interest. She has lived in Kenya as well as Cape Town, South Africa and spent time in San Diego, USA. She now lives in Somerset, England with regular visits from her far-flung children and grandchildren. She is a keen gardener and enjoys growing fresh fruit and vegetables with her husband on their joint allotment. As a result, there is something available to use in the kitchen virtually all year round. Her regular posts can be found on our blog.