Name: Japanese Daikon Nimono (Simmered Daikon)
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: 1/3 Daikon (400g); 1 Atsuage (170g); 1 Tbsp Mirin; 1 Tbsp Soy Sauce; 1 Tbsp Shio Koji; 1 Tbsp Oil for cooking

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Cook daikon and atsuage tofu (deep-fried tofu) slowly in a pot and enjoy this daikon nimono (simmered daikon). It's flavorful, tender, and so easy to break with chopsticks!

daikon nimono(Japanese simmered dish) in a pot

Nimono is Japanese style simmered dish, and classic home cooking recipe which we eat almost everyday.

Japanese daikon (or daikon radish) is perfect for nimono as it gets so tender by cooking slowly and takes in the flavor.

This recipe is for you if:

You love Japanese daikon.
You want to cook daikon nimono (simmered daikon).
You want to know how to cook daikon.

If you haven't cooked daikon before, don't worry, this is super easy recipe. Let me show you how to make it!

Let's get started!

About this recipe

Japanese nimono with daikon and atsuage tofu
Season with shio koji, mirin, and soy sauce
Easy simple recipe

Daikon (Japanese radish)

Do you know daikon's taste varies depending on the part you use? In general, the upper part near the leaf is sweet, and the lower part is more peppery.

Upper part: It's good for eating raw such as salad and pickles.
Middle part: It's good for the simmered dish as it is soft and easier to soak the flavor.
Lower part: It's good for grated daikon or pickles.

It's good to know the taste vary and how to cook with it.

If you are not familiar with daikon, or first time cooking it, see this: "Japanese Daikon Radish Recipes" and get to know more about daikon such as what daikon tastes like, how to cook, how to choose a good one, and how to store, etc.

📋 Ingredients

Here are the ingredients (amounts are in recipe card below).

Daikon: I like to use the middle part of daikon. The upper part is ok too. If you only have the lower part, please check the taste first and if it's not too peppery, it should be ok to simmer. If it's peppery, then please use it for other dishes like grating or pickling.
Atsuage tofu: It's deep-fried tofu and a great ingredient for nimono as it's easier to soak the flavor.
Shio koji: It's sweet and salty seasoning using rice koji (fermented rice). I like fermented food, so I use it often in my cooking. If you can't find it at a store, you can omit it and add 1 more tablespoon of soy sauce and mirin instead.
Mirin and soy sauce: They are essential seasoning for nimono. They add deep Japanese flavor and sweetness to the dish.

🔪Instructions

Well, now it's time to cook! You can also watch this video.

How to cook Japanese Daikon Nimono Recipe(Simmered Daikon)

Cut daikon: Peel daikon and cut it into bite-size pieces. (The skin has fibers and is hard to soak in flavor, so peel it (3-5mm). And don't throw away the skin; you can use it for stir-fry.)
Cut atsuage tofu: Remove extra oil on atsuage tofu and cut it into bite-size pieces. (Rinse atsuage with warm tap water works well.)
Cook over medium heat: Add oil to a pot, stir fry daikon, add atsuage tofu and cook together lightly.
Add seasonings: Add mirin, soy sauce, and shio koji and stir.
Simmer: Cover and simmer over low heat for 10 to 13 minutes until tender.
Boil down: Open the lid, turn over as there is a part that is not soaked in the soup, and boil down for 2 to 3 minutes.

Japanese Daikon Nimono Recipe(Simmered Daikon) on a plate

Here you go! Enjoy this tender and flavorful daikon nimono! You can also enjoy it the following day as the taste soaks in even more and so tasty!

Please store in the fridge and it will last up to 4 days.

Add other ingredients

This is a super simple simmered daikon, so if you feel like adding more ingredients, feel free to do it! Here are some ideas:

Boiled eggs
Root vegetables (sweet potatoes, carrots, Japanese taro)
Fish paste (chikuwa, hanpen)
Canned fish (canned tuna, canned mackerel)

Cook Daikon 5 Recipes

Watch this video and learn how to cook daikon in 5 different ways.

Winter is the delicious season for Daikon. Buy one whole and enjoy various recipes. Please refer to this article "Japanese Daikon Radish Recipes" as well.

Thanks For Stopping By

It's a flavorful, tender, and easy-to-make nimono dish. I hope you will love it!

Thank you for taking the time to read my blog♡ If you’ve tried this recipe(or any other recipe on the blog), please give it a star rating below!

Also, feel free to leave comments if you have any questions. I love hearing from you!

Chef JA Cooks is a Japanese food blog that shares simple and healthy Japanese home cooking recipes include vegan and vegetarian. From traditional Japanese recipes to modern recipes with step-by-step instructions.