Reddish round or oblong roots of radish are a real decoration of the spring table: cut into thin circles, it looks so exquisite, decorate the simplest salad with it — and you already have a dish, like from a restaurant. And a delicious radish — crispy, juicy, a little spicy. True, it sometimes happens with bitterness, but this is normal: radish is a relative of cabbage, and cabbage relatives all have a subtle hint of bitterness. After all, it even has its own charm.
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When to plant radishes and how to grow them
Radishes are one of the first young vegetables that can be grown in the open ground not even in spring, but in late spring, as soon as the snow comes off the ground. It is unpretentious, it can withstand even ‑2C frost, it does not like excessive heat, it grows best at temperatures up to +18C. Radish seeds are usually sown in open ground from April to early May. However, you can take a risk in March if the spring is warm. And you can sow radishes in autumn, before the onset of severe frosts, for example, in September-October. Until the frosts hit, the vegetable will delight you with a fresh harvest.
In order to always have fresh young roots on the table, use this life hack: plant radishes on the bed every 10–15 days and you will have a kind of “radish conveyor” — one radish matures, another grows to replace it. You can do this until June, until it becomes too warm for reddish roots.
And another delicious interesting fact: radish sprouts have extremely high nutritional value, that is, sprouted seeds with young sprouts, the amount of vitamins and useful substances in them is simply amazing. Sprouts can be added to salads and snacks, used as an edible decoration, garnished with them, for example, soups. To always have seedlings close at hand, plant them on your windowsill. You will only need a shallow plate, a soft cotton cloth and a little water. We pour the seeds on the rolled “bed” — and in a week we have a green harvest. Easy!
Benefits and harms of radishes for health
Radish is useful. In addition to the significant therapeutic effect that it causes on the body as a whole and on its individual organs and systems, it also helps to preserve beauty and youth, in particular, it improves the complexion, facilitates the process of losing weight… However, like any product, it has its contraindications . In particular, the useful norm of radish consumption per day for an adult is 250–300 g, radish will not interfere with children’s nutrition, but it can be given to children from 2 years old. It is impossible to get poisoned with a fresh radish, but there will be some discomfort in the stomach. From whom, from what and because of what — let’s analyze everything in detail!
Health benefits of radish
The beginning of spring — the time for vitamins is not generous, and because of this, many people face the problems of vitamin deficiency, lack of certain substances in the body, even anemia. There is a solution: add radish to your diet, it miraculously increases the level of hemoglobin in the blood. Phosphorus, easily digestible protein, sodium, iron, calcium, magnesium, nicotinic and salicylic acids, vitamins C, PP, B1, B6, B2 and B12 — such a far from exhaustive list of “miracle” components of radish.
And thanks to the content of mustard oil (the same bitter taste), radish improves appetite and at the same time accelerates metabolism — exchange processes in the body, and disperses bile.
Radish against colds
If you fantasize a little, you can say that the frost-resistant radish passes its durability on to those who taste it. In a sense, it is. Fresh young radish helps protect against viral diseases and strengthens immunity. And all because it contains natural antibiotics and phytoncides. Spicy radish helps the body get rid of excess mucus in the throat and nose and even… relieves sore throats during sore throat!
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How to lose weight with radish
Nutritionists urge those who want to lose weight to pay attention to radish. A vegetable rich in fiber is a “normalizer” of intestinal function. Fiber works in the body like a powerful brush — it removes toxins and cleans the remains of metabolic products. The caloric value of radish is simply ridiculous: 19 Kcal per 100 g, and the glycemic index is minimal — only 15 units. An ideal product for diet food! Just listen to the advice: radish stimulates the appetite, so it is better to eat it in the morning or at lunchtime, and in the evening it is better to refuse it.
What parts of the radish are suitable for consumption
How do you make radish salad? That’s right, wash the vegetables, cut off the thin “spouts”-roots, ghee… Stop! Under no circumstances should you throw away the cottage cheese, wash it thoroughly, finely chop it, add a drop of wine vinegar or lemon juice, a little oil, salt to taste — and you have a wonderful vitamin salad, rich in vitamin C.
A young lettuce leaf can be added to spring green borscht. For this, it is processed almost the same as young nettles, and put in the pot at the same time as it. You can also make pureed radish soup without adding nettles.
To whom radish is contraindicated
Radish, like most food products, can cause allergic reactions. In order not to unnecessarily expose yourself to danger, refrain from eating radishes if your body does not perceive well any vegetable from the Cabbage family — the same cabbage, mustard… Radishes should also be treated with caution for those who suffer from stomach or duodenal ulcers, who has gallstones.
Can pregnant women eat radish?
During pregnancy, radish is a must-have product. It contains a significant amount of folic acid, a substance extremely necessary for the normal development of the fetus, which is especially important in the first weeks of pregnancy. Therefore, if you do not have other, very serious contraindications to the use of these reddish roots, eat them for good health. However, preferably not on an empty stomach: radish stimulates the appetite, and can cause discomfort in an empty stomach.
Is it possible to eat radish during breastfeeding
Radish is not one of the foods that should be excluded from the diet during breastfeeding. However, one nuance should be taken into account. Radish changes the taste of breast milk and the baby may not like it. Therefore, if a woman uses radishes regularly, this does not pose a problem, but if radishes appear on the table rarely, you should treat them with caution.
What to cook from radish: recipes
Radish — for a side dish? Yes, radishes can be used as a great side dish for meat or fish. The easiest way is to add radishes to an assortment of steamed vegetables, drizzle the dish with olive oil and season to taste with spices. Such a side dish will taste perfect with fish or seafood.
Fried radishes are better with meat or as an independent snack. Fry the prepared small roots of young radish, stirring, in a pan in hot butter for 2 minutes, sprinkle with sugar and cook for about the same amount. Pour in enough water to almost cover the radishes, bring to a boil and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes. Salt the dish to taste. Do not be confused: it will taste unsurpassed!
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Mashed radish soup
For 1.5 liters of soup:
- 2 medium potatoes
- 5–7 radishes
- 1 small bulb
- 30 g of butter or oil
- a bunch of 2 bunches of radish
Preparation
Wash the potatoes and radishes, peel the potatoes, cut the prepared vegetables into pieces, pour 1.5 liters of water into the pot and cook in the pot under the lid until soft.
Peel the onion, cut into cubes and fry until transparent in oil. Set the fried onion aside.
Wash the cottage cheese, drain it with boiling water on a sieve and finely chop it. Put the cottage cheese in a saucepan with potatoes and radishes, add onions and cook for 3–5 minutes over low heat. Salt the soup to taste, remove from the heat and puree with a blender. Serve the finished soup with sour cream.
Red radish gratin
Cooking time: 1 hour.
For 3 people:
- 350 g of red radish
- 150 ml of heavy cream (or non-sour sour cream)
- 125 g of grated cheese
- 250 ml of dry white wine
- 2 eggs
- 1 bulb
- 1 clove of garlic
- ½ tsp. dried Provencal herbs
- salt pepper
- oil for greasing molds
Preparation
Peel and chop the onion and garlic. Mix prepared vegetables and dried herbs in a deep bowl with wine. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Wash and dry the radish, cut off the ghee and set aside. Place the prepared radish in a bowl with wine and marinate at room temperature for at least 2 hours.
Drain the marinade, cut the pickled radish into circles.
Prepare baking molds and grease them with oil. Beat the cream with the eggs to a homogeneous mass, lightly salt and pepper and pour into the molds, filling each 3/4. Spread the sliced radish on the molds and sprinkle thickly with grated cheese.
Bake the gratins for 40 minutes in a preheated oven (180°C).
Chicken schnitzels with red radish
Cooking time: 20 minutes.
For 2 people:
- 1/2 tsp. sugar
- a few sprigs of fresh parsley
- salt pepper
- 1/2 lemon
- 1/2 chicken breast
- 2 bunches of radish
- front or margarine
Preparation
Wash and dry the radish, cut off the stem. Cut the prepared radish into circles of medium thickness.
Wash the chicken breast, dry it, cut it in half along the thickness and beat off each part slightly. Prepared schnitzels lightly salt and pepper and fry in a pan on a small amount of spread or margarine until golden on both sides.
Add the radishes to the schnitzels and cook, stirring often, for about 2 minutes.
Sprinkle the radishes with sugar, mix and cook until the sugar melts. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Serve chicken schnitzels with radish hot. Add parsley sprigs and lemon quarters to the dish.
Cream soup with red radish and cheese
Cooking time: 25 minutes.
For 4 people:
- 400 ml milk
- 2 Art. l. flour
- salt pepper
- 1 bunch of radish
- 200 g of grated cheese
- 50 g of butter
Preparation
Wash the radish, dry it, and cut the stem. Grind the prepared radish using a blender. Cool the milk.
Melt the butter in a deep saucepan and, stirring, fry the flour in it until golden. Pouring milk in a thin stream, cook, stirring with an iron whisk, until the mass begins to thicken.
Put the chopped radish in the milk mixture, warm it slightly and add 1 liter of water.
Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat to a minimum, add cheese and mix until a smooth, homogeneous mass is obtained. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve the dish hot.
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Cold soup with radish
Cooking time: 10 min.
For 2 people:
- 350 g of radish
- 300 g of natural yogurt
- salt pepper
- 1 Art. l. olive oil
Preparation
Wash the radish, dry it, cut off the ghee, cut the radish into thin circles and mix with yogurt. Add oil, salt and pepper to taste. Grind the mixture and beat with a blender.
Keep the finished soup in the refrigerator for about 1 hour.
Tip: the soup can be turned into a thicker snack if you add 200 g of cottage cheese instead of half the yogurt.
Radish with parsley
Cooking time: 35 minutes.
For 3 people:
- 300 g of radish
- 1 clove of garlic
- 2 sprigs of parsley
- 10 g of butter
- salt pepper
Preparation
Wash the radish, dry it, and cut the stem. Pour the prepared radish in a saucepan with water up to the edge of the vessel, bring to a boil and cook for 20 minutes. Drain the water from the boiled radish.
Wash, dry and finely chop the parsley. Peel and chop the garlic.
Melt butter in a pan, add radishes, add garlic and parsley and fry, stirring, for 3 minutes. Salt and pepper the dish. Serve hot.
Green butter with radish ghee
Cooking time: 15 minutes + 1 hour.
For 150–180 g of product:
- 100 g of butter
- a bunch of radish from 1 bunch
- 1 clove of garlic
- 1/2 tsp lemon juice
- salt pepper
Preparation
Wash, dry and finely chop the guac. Peel the garlic and pound it in a mortar with a pinch of salt and pepper.
Soften the butter at room temperature. Add the prepared cottage cheese, garlic and lemon juice and beat with a mixer to a loose mass.
Prepare a sheet of parchment (food film) and spread the oil mass on it. Form a “sausage” from the mass, wrap in parchment and put in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
Have you tried any of these dishes yet?