Ayama Mama Blog: Malaysia's Daikon

Hi there! I’m Aya Mama. Today, I’m introducing radishes in Malaysia.

Malaysian radishes are thinner and smaller compared to Japanese daikon radishes… Is it because of the perpetual summer heat?? I did some research and found that while the optimal germination temperature is a broad range of 15–30°C, the optimal growth temperature is 15–20°C, meaning they prefer cooler climates.

Since the average temperature in the capital, Kuala Lumpur, ranges from 23°C to 33°C, it’s quite warm for growing radishes. However, they are produced in cooler, rural areas.

Cameron Highlands, a highland resort in Malaysia, enjoys cool temperatures averaging around 20°C year-round. With elevations exceeding 1,500 meters, it is also a major hub for producing highland vegetables. Radishes are grown here as well, but they are noticeably thinner and smaller compared to Japanese varieties. Since root vegetables are sensitive to heat and dryness, other popular root crops like carrots 🥕, potatoes, burdock, yam, taro, and lotus root are all imported, with most originating from China.

The carrot in the photo above is Australian-grown and is roughly the same size as the carrots you’d find in Japan. Compared to that carrot, the daikon radish is about twice as thick and 1.5 times as long, so it doesn’t have the chunky, heavy feel of the daikon you’re used to in Japan.

These radishes in the photo were bought on a different day. They’re super long (lol)! I’ve never seen radishes this big before 🤣🤣🤣 The carrots are about the same size as in the first photo.

I’ll also write about vegetables and foods that differ from those in Japan.

Well then, see you next time~👋🏻👋🏻👋🏻