I love these tiny turnips! They’re sweeter and subtler in flavor than their larger cousins. I got some in my weekly local produce delivery – Yay! When they come in season in spring and fall I always order them. Your best bet for finding them is at Farmer’s Markets or through a CSA or local produce service or possibly at an Asian Market. If you get the chance to try them, go for it! Even if you’re not a big turnip fan, you’ll like these little gems!
The first couple times I cooked them I used a recipe for Glazed Hakurei Turnips by Anita Lo from bon appétit magazine and it’s wonderful. Here I’ve used a similar cooking technique but I’ve punched it up with some Asian flavors and it’s great!
Japanese Hakurei Turnips
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
Recipe type: Side
Cuisine: Asian
Serves: 6
Ingredients
- 2 bunches of hakurei turnips with green leafy tops
- 1 Tbsp peanut oil
- ⅓ cup gluten-free low sodium soy sauce
- ⅓ cup mirin
- Kosher salt
Instructions
- Wash turnips and greens well. Cut off tops and chop greens roughly.
- Leave very small bite-sized turnips whole and cut larger ones in half or quarters so they’re all a uniform size.
- Put turnips in a large skillet with water covering the turnips halfway.
- Add the oil, soy sauce, mirin and a pinch of salt.
- Bring to a boil and cook uncovered stirring occasionally about 15-18 minutes until turnips are tender and sauce is reduced to just about ⅛ inch high in the pan.
- Add the greens and cook stirring another 2-3 minutes until just wilted.
Notes
If your hakurei turnips come with no tops which does happen sometimes then some kale can be substituted for the greens.
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