Beyond the Radish Root
by Carrie Koepke

This spring was not kind to my radishes.  I harvested a few, but noticed they grew most quickly above ground without creating much of anything “radish” wise.  I pouted briefly, before realizing I had used all my heirloom seeds and would need more.  So wild and crazy went my radish patch.  I had no idea what I was getting into.  Seemingly suddenly my cute tame garden entry was taken over by enormous stalks with flowers going every which way.

I admit it was pretty, despite the chaos.  There were vibrant purple flowers along with crisp whites.  The flowers were almost as pretty as those cute little radishes I had expected.  They were also tall, much taller than I expected.  In time those flowers faded and the seed pods took over.  I had expected a few pods per radish, a dozen at most really.  Not that I had any basis for my expectations, it was all random guesswork and preconceived notions.  I was certainly not prepared for the onslaught.  One radish seed turned into a powerhouse that could reseed the patch for a couple years.

The vast quantity sent me to my computer where I started searching the internet for info on harvesting and preserving the seeds.  My first search sent me on an entirely new tangent.  The pods are edible!  Why did I not think of that?  Why are the market tables not flooded with the gorgeous, prolific pods?  I wonder if I have been glossing over the tables thinking they are something else or if the radishes are just more marketable with all their color.

I started calling people and looking for recipes.  I gathered a pod and forced my husband to taste it.  He was tentative but seemed happily surprised.  These slightly alien looking things taste like radishes.  The seeds have a pop of juice and extra heat, but there is no questioning their origin.

My son and I gathered the tangled mess of radish plants and took them to a comfortable shady spot to start gathering.  We gave some away.  We blanched and froze some.  We munched on a couple with slight winces (neither of us can handle much raw heat).  We set aside a bowl of finger snacks for my husband.  Then we got to cooking with the rest.  We made a delicate radish pod soup.  We made stir fry.  Then we made plans next year to set half the radish section of the garden aside for pods only.  Apparently there is a whole variety of “rat tail” radishes that are bred just for pods!

So next time you see your favorite vendor, who recently was selling those gorgeous bundles of radishes, give a little nudge and a little wink.  Find out if they will be bringing any pods to market!

For those who find the treasure and feel experimental toss a handful of chopped pods in to water for soup.  We added a sliced “normal” radish, a garlic scape, some cubed tofu and some vegetable broth powder.  It went great with grilled cheese and fresh local tomato sandwiches.