Rammenas/Black radish
Raphanus sativus var. niger
Similar vegetables
Turnips, radishes, daikon
A quick introduction
Black radishes grow in fall and are black on the outside and white on the inside. They are similar in taste to turnips and daikon but their flesh is a little more firm. Their size depends a lot on the space we give them: they stay small when we grow them closely together and can grow very big if spaced further apart. We like black radishes most when pickled or added to soups. The leaves are edible as well, and great to use in stir-fries.
Storage
Remove the greens from the black radishes as soon as you unpack your vegetable box. Leaving the leaves on will result in shrivelled and dried up radishes after a few days. Store the roots in the vegetable drawer of the fridge. The greens keep best in a closed container in the fridge.
Season
Fall to winter
Suggestions for preparation
Black radish leaves are edible and taste similar to turnip and radish leaves. Sometimes, if the leaves are past their prime, you will also find a bag of black radishes without the leaves in your box. Peeling might be necessary later on in the season but usually a scrub with the vegetable brush does the trick. We like to roast the black radishes in the oven and serve them with (Italian) salsa verde or anchovy butter, add them to soups or to a hearty vegetable tajine (see recipes below).
Recipes
Replace the turnips for black radish in this Thai ‘papaya’ salad’ without papaya. Replace the fish sauce for kimchi juice for a vegetarian version.
Although originally not in the recipe we like to add daikon, black radish or turnips to this soup with chicken, tofu and noodles. Or add black radish and stir-fried radish leaves to this miso soup (it will still taste nice if you don't have the bonito and kombu).
Try adding black radish to this Chinese soup that is flavoured with star anise and Sichuan pepper (the recipe calls for chicken but with the help of a good vegetable stock you can easily enjoy this as a vegetarian dish.
Use halved or quartered black radishes in this delicious vegetable tajine.
Lacto-ferment shredded black radishes (add ginger and garlic if you would like to go the kimchi-way). Or take a short cut and make these vinegar-based quick pickles that are equally delicious (we like to make them with additional chilli and cardamom, and serve them with falafel.
Ottolenghi’s spicy turnips recipe works equally well with black radishes!
A simple pasta recipe: Kale with orechiette and caramelized turnips ( or black radishes). The kale can be replaced by other greens such as mizuna, red giant, frills or radish tops.
Honey-glazed roasted black radishes