Jabara Daikon no Nimono

A simmered dish using 'jabara daikon,' or 'accordion daikon,' made by scoring the vegetable into an accordion-like fold, stretching it to about three times its length, then drying it in winter's cold wind. Sun-drying is said to concentrate its flavor and nutrients, giving it a seasoning-soaked, crisp texture quite different from fresh daikon. It's a dried daikon that's long been made in the Minamiaso region, taking advantage of the region's cold winter wind.

The daikon is laid on its side and cut nearly through at two- to three-millimeter intervals, leaving about five millimeters uncut at the base each time. Flipped over and cut again at an angle through those same slits, it stretches out into an accordion shape by the time the cuts reach the end. It's hung on a pole and dried in the winter wind, then rehydrated in water before going into simmered dishes, vinegared dishes, or miso soup. Because the soaking water carries flavor too, it's often used directly as part of the simmering liquid.

In the Minamiaso region, the dried daikon is said to have long been made as a preserved food, taking advantage of the cold winter wind. Drying it let it keep for a long time, and it's thought to have become a staple that carried households through the lean stretch between winter and spring vegetables; the custom of always including it in the simmered dishes served at festivals, memorial services and celebrations is said to continue today. Strung beneath the eaves like a row of white blossoms, it's described as a familiar sight of winter in Minamiaso.