Last Updated on November 15, 2023

This is definitely not an ordinary Daikon Radish Stew. This Vegan Daikon Radish Stew with Mixed Vegetables ( 燉蘿蔔) is my favorite daikon radish recipe of all time.

Taiwanese-Daikon-radish-stew-with-mixed-vegetables

Daikon Radish recipes

Daikon radish, carrot, shiitake mushroom, and bamboo shoots, simmered in a light soy-based broth.

You can taste the concentrated sweet flavor from daikon radish and carrot, crunchy texture from the bamboo shoots, the umami flavor from the shiitake mushroom, and the pungent flavor from the star anise. Makes it such a comforting and healthy saucy vegetable stew.

This dish is not for people who don’t like the strong aroma of star anise and ginger. You can check my other daikon radish recipes: Daikon Radish in Miso Broth and Pickled Daikon.

What is Daikon?

Daikon, also known as white radish, Japanese radish, Chinese radish( Lobok), winter radish, and luobo, is popular in Japanese, Chinese, and other Asian cuisines. The vegetable resembles a large white plump carrot and is commonly eaten raw, cooked, or pickled.

When buying Daikon radish, if possible, pick one heavy, plump, and straight. From the appearance, they should have beautiful shiny, white color (the whiter the better!) and round tip. For the touch, they should have firm and smooth skin with fewer pores. Also, they should look fresh and juicy!

Important! Daikon radish has to be fresh! If you see grey spots on the flesh when you cut it open, please discard. It will taste bitter with an unpleasant taste! You can check this post how to cook daikon radishes? to find out more tips for cooking daikon.

Daikon Radish Stew Recipe

Daikon Radish – Peeled and diced into 1.5×1.5cm cubes. If you haven’t tried daikon before, here is my article on what does daikon radish taste like? to help you get an idea of the taste.

Carrot – Peeled and diced into 1.5×1.5cm cubes

Ginger – Peeled and cut into match sticks(Juilenne)

Shiitake Mushroom – dried Shiitake mushrooms only, we will need mushroom soaking liquid as a quick stock.

Bamboo shoots – Tinned or fresh bamboot shoots both are ok.

Kelp – cut into smaller bite size. In this dish, kelp taste so good after cooked.

Ingredients for Seasoning

Vegan Oyster Sauce

Light Soy Sauce

Mirin– or rice cooking wine

Black vinegar – The brand KONG YEN is the only product I use when it comes to cooking Asian cuisine.

Star Anise – a small one, discarded after cooked. Star anise is a mix of sweet, spicy (not the chili kind of spicy), it gives this dish a unique taste!

Vegetable Stock Powder– as a booster

Corn starch- add the same amount water to corn starch for cornstarch slurry to thicken the broth.

How to Cook

First, we need to drain the tinned bamboo shoots, and cut the kelp into bite-size by a scissor. Peel the daikon radish and carrot, then chop them into approx. 1.5×1.5cm cubes. Soak the Shiitake mushrooms in boiling hot water for 10-20 minutes. Peel the ginger, then cut it into matchsticks, then you’re ready to go.

Heat up a heavy-based pot (smaller pot to ensure the liquid will cover the vegetables) with cooking oil on medium heat. Add ginger, daikon radish and carrot, saute for 2-3 minutes.
Add Shiitake mushroom and water (including shiitake mushroom soaking liquid), the ratio is according to the recipe.
Add Seasonings, Vegan oyster sauce, light soy sauce, black vinegar, Mirin, kelp, and star anise.
Add bamboo shoots and vegetable stock powder.
Let it simmer without a lid on for 30 minutes until the broth is reduced by half. Take out the star anise and discard.
Add cornstarch slurry to slightly thicken the sauce. To finish with the garnish (spring onion and coriander!)

Served with a bed of cooked rice or noodles, so satisfying!

How to serve?

Choose a side dish that does not overpower this pungent and aromatic daikon stew. I served it with a bed of mashed potatoes, and it wasn’t bad at all. Here are some side dishes I think it would pair well with.