By Martha Rose Shulman
- Total Time
- About 4 minutes
- Rating
- 4(150)
- Notes
- Read community notes
The bitterness of radish greens pairs wells with a sweet-and-sour sauce in this stir-fry. We always toss out radish greens, but we shouldn’t. They are as nutritious as any green, and they have a pleasantly bitter flavor that is very much like that of turnip greens, which are a close relative. The bitterness works very well against a sweet and
sour stir-fry sauce. The radishes should be barely cooked. This is a great dish for large, colorful breakfast radishes. The big bunches I get at my farmers’ market weigh a pound, sometimes a little more. Use 2 bunches if yours are smaller.
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Ingredients
Yield:Serves 3 to 4 as a side dish
- 1generous bunch large radishes, with greens (about 1 pound total), or 2 smaller bunches
- 1tablespoon soy sauce
- 1tablespoon rice vinegar
- 2teaspoons agave nectar or honey
- 2tablespoons chicken stock, vegetable stock or water
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- 1tablespoon peanut, canola, sunflower, or grape seed oil
- 2teaspoons minced garlic
- 2teaspoons minced ginger
- 1bunch scallions, chopped, white and green parts separated
- ¼cup chopped cilantro
- 1teaspoon cornstarch dissolved in 2 tablespoons water
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
67 calories; 4 grams fat; 0 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 1 gram monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 8 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 4 grams sugars; 1 gram protein; 251 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
Step
1
Cut away greens from radishes and trim off bottoms of the stems. Wash in 2 changes of water and spin dry. Chop coarsely. Trim away tips of radishes and quarter lengthwise if large, cut in half if small.
Step
2
In a small bowl or measuring cup combine soy sauce, vinegar, agave nectar or honey, and stock or water. Have all ingredients within arm’s length of your burner.
Step
3
Heat a 14-inch flat-bottomed wok over high heat until a drop of water evaporates within a second or two when added to the pan. Add oil to wok or pan and swirl to coat sides, then add garlic and ginger and stir-fry for no more than 10 seconds. Add white parts of scallions and stir-fry for 30 seconds to a minute. Add radish greens, salt and pepper and stir-fry for 1 to 2 minutes more, until they wilt, and stir in radishes. Stir-fry for ½ minute and add soy sauce mixture. Stir-fry for a minute more, then stir in ilantro and scallion greens, stir together for a few seconds, add cornstarch slurry and stir until vegetables are glazed (less than 30 seconds). Remove from heat and serve.
- Advance preparation: Ingredients can be prepared hours in advance. Keep in the refrigerator until 15 to 30 minutes before you cook.
Ratings
4
out of 5
150
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Cooking Notes
DianeMR
I'm here to bring some love for this recipe. The sauce volume is slight, and probably should be increased, especially if you are going to the trouble of thickening it with cornstarch. But we found the sweet-sour elements to emerge clearly, and the tang of fresh ginger elevates the flavor. The greens cook down to almost nothing (but you still get the nutrition) and you can choose how much to cook the beets--we like them a little more cooked, and therefore mellower, than the recipe suggests.
Susan Antos
Our CSA order had a huge bunch of radishes and scallions. I always hate throwing away the greens so this recipe was perfect… and so delicious…and I am not a radish fan. We ditched the corn starch (because who needs it?) and skipped the cilantro (because we did not have any). Did not need to increase the liquid as some suggested. Quartering the radishes and cooking them two minutes longer enhanced their sweetness.
Mary
Easy and delicious side. Just note that the 4 minute time listed is only the cooking time. You'll need to plan for additional time to prep all the ingredients. Mar
Lisasuej
I made this with success with a few changes. I sauteed the quartered radishes and 1/2 yellow onion, diced, first in olive oil until the radishes were almost fork tender. After that, I added the radish greens, and the sauce, cooking about a minute until the greens wilted. I doubled the sauce quantity listed in the recipe. Will make again in this way.
Charles
Made as an accompaniment to the tofu and green beans with chile crisp recipe in NYT. I cooked a bit longer than called for when adding the radishes. Very nice.
AR
I didn't have as much raddishes from the recipe, so the amount of sauce was just right. I usually don't like sweet and sour dishes because most of them are too sweet for me, but the flavor of this one was mild. My husband and I ended up liking the dish. Will make it again.
Susan Antos
Our CSA order had a huge bunch of radishes and scallions. I always hate throwing away the greens so this recipe was perfect… and so delicious…and I am not a radish fan. We ditched the corn starch (because who needs it?) and skipped the cilantro (because we did not have any). Did not need to increase the liquid as some suggested. Quartering the radishes and cooking them two minutes longer enhanced their sweetness.
TracywK
We had bought a small bunch of radishes at the Farmer’s market and ate all of them. I mixed some spinach in with the leftover radish tops and it was delicious! I was satisfied with the amount of sauce.
Sophie
Delicious!! I'd never thought to stir fry radishes in a sauce like this, I usually roast them with salt and butter but this worked together surprisingly well!
DianeMR
I'm here to bring some love for this recipe. The sauce volume is slight, and probably should be increased, especially if you are going to the trouble of thickening it with cornstarch. But we found the sweet-sour elements to emerge clearly, and the tang of fresh ginger elevates the flavor. The greens cook down to almost nothing (but you still get the nutrition) and you can choose how much to cook the beets--we like them a little more cooked, and therefore mellower, than the recipe suggests.
Jessamine
I followed the instructions. The sauce was barely there, and neither sweet nor sour. I will not make this again.
arlyn
I made the mistake of using seasoned rice vinegar and the dish turned out too sweet. And the fact is, I’m not fond of radishes in any way.
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I am an expert and enthusiast assistant. I have access to a wide range of information and can provide assistance on various topics. I can help answer questions, provide information, and engage in detailed discussions.
Regarding the article you mentioned, titled "Stir-Fried Radishes With Sweet-and-Sour Sauce," by Martha Rose Shulman, I can provide information related to the concepts used in the recipe. Let's dive into it!
Radish Greens
Radish greens are often discarded, but they are actually nutritious and can be used in cooking. They have a pleasantly bitter flavor that is similar to turnip greens, which are a close relative. In the recipe, the bitterness of radish greens pairs well with the sweet-and-sour sauce in the stir-fry [[1]].
Sweet-and-Sour Sauce
The stir-fry in the recipe features a sweet-and-sour sauce. The sauce is made with soy sauce, rice vinegar, agave nectar or honey, and chicken stock, vegetable stock, or water. These ingredients create a balance of sweet and sour flavors that complement the bitterness of the radish greens [[1]].
Cooking Technique
The radishes in the recipe should be barely cooked to maintain their texture. The stir-frying technique is used to quickly cook the ingredients over high heat. The radish greens are added first, followed by the radishes, and then the sweet-and-sour sauce. The dish is finished by stirring in cilantro and scallion greens [[1]].
Ingredient Substitutions
The recipe suggests using a generous bunch of large radishes with greens, or 2 smaller bunches. The greens should be chopped coarsely, and the radishes can be quartered lengthwise if large or cut in half if small. Other ingredients include minced garlic, minced ginger, scallions (white and green parts), cornstarch dissolved in water for thickening, and oil for stir-frying. The recipe also provides a nutritional analysis per serving [[1]].
I hope this information helps you understand the concepts used in the recipe. If you have any more questions or need further assistance, feel free to ask!
