Shredded Daikon Salad

This salad is palate-cleansing and refreshing. A little spicy, a little tart—and you can prep it in advance. The thinner you slice the daikon, the better it will absorb the flavor of the dressing. This recipe is from Taiwanese-American cook Lisa Cheng Smith’s spectacular Lunar New Year feast. Find the rest of her menu here.

Ingredients

8 REGULAR OR 16 SMALL SERVINGS

1

large daikon (about 1 lb.), peeled, thinly sliced into 3"-long matchsticks

¾

tsp. kosher salt, divided

1

red finger or Fresno chile, seeds removed, finely chopped

2

garlic cloves, finely chopped

2

Tbsp. toasted sesame oil

2

Tbsp. unseasoned rice vinegar

1

Tbsp. granulated sugar

½–1

tsp. store-bought or homemade chile crisp (optional)

Toasted white and/or black sesame seeds (for serving)

Preparation

Step 1

Toss daikon and ½ tsp. salt in a medium bowl; let sit 30 minutes. Transfer to a dish towel and squeeze out excess moisture.

Step 2

Meanwhile, whisk chile, garlic, oil, vinegar, sugar, and remaining ¼ tsp. salt in a large bowl and let sit 30 minutes.

Step 3

Add daikon to bowl and massage dressing into daikon. Let sit at least 30 minutes and up to 6 hours (cover and chill if holding longer than 1 hour).

Step 4

To serve, stir in desired amount of chile crisp if using and top with sesame seeds.