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!

Nimono is Japanese-style simmered dish and a classic home-cooking recipe which we eat almost every day.
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!
Jump to:
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 varies 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 the 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 a 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 one more tablespoon of soy sauce and mirin instead.
- Mirin and soy sauce: They are essential seasonings for a 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.

- Cut daikon: Peel the 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. (Rinsing the 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.

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 it 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, including vegan and vegetarian. From traditional Japanese recipes to modern recipes with step-by-step instructions.
More Daikon Recipes You Might Like
- Daikon Salad
- Pickled Daikon
- Daikon Miso Soup
- Daikon Skin Stir Fry with Shio Kombu
- Kiriboshi Daikon Salad
📖 Recipe

Japanese Daikon Nimono (Simmered Daikon)
Print Pin SaveIngredients
Instructions
- Cut daikon: Peel daikon and cut it into bite-size pieces.
- Cut atsuage tofu: Remove extra oil on atsuage tofu and cut it into bite-size pieces.
- 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 and boil down for 2 to 3 minutes.
Video
Notes
- Equipment: Staub pot 18cm
- Storage: It will last in the fridge for 4 days.
- Substitute: If you can't find shio koji at a store, you can omit it and add 1 more tablespoon of soy sauce and mirin instead.
- 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.
- You can add other ingredients such as boiled eggs, root vegetables, and so on.
- Watch how To Video
Holly
Hello from Texas! I bought a daikon and shio koji to make pickles, not knowing that the Japanese reserve some parts for eating cooked. So I went to Pinterest for ideas and landed here.
Of course, I hadn’t bought any atsuage tofu, so I used carrots like you suggested. This was my first time making nimono. It turned out so well, and my husband loved it too.
Thank you for the great recipe! Now I need more daikon….
JURI
You are very welcome! Thank you for trying Daikon nimono! Daikon has so many ways to cook, so enjoy it thoroughly!
Carmen
Can I use purple daikon for this?
JURI
Hi Carmen, thanks for your comment! Compared to white daikon, purple daikon has a sweeter taste and is perfect for a salad with a bright fresh color. However, you can also use it for this simmered daikon recipe. I hope you will love the recipe!
Esteve Valérie
Parfait après les repas de fétes un peu lourd!
JURI
Thanks for your comment! I'm glad you like the daikon recipe!