Bettarazuke

Step 1: Clean the jar or container and lid: wash in hot soapy water, rinse, then dry in a 250°F oven for 10 minutes (or pour boiling water over and in it and air-dry upside down). Let it cool; it must be completely dry.

Step 2: Peel the 2 ¼ lb daikon thickly (3 mm) and cut into lengths that fit your container; halve them lengthways if thick.

Step 3: Rub with 1 ⅜ oz coarse sea salt, pack into a bag or container, press out the air and weigh down with about the daikon's weight. Refrigerate for 2–3 days, turning once, until the daikon bends a little and brine has collected.

Step 4: Make the amazake: cook 5 ½ oz short-grain rice with 2 ½ cups water in a pan over a low heat, covered, stirring now and then, into a soft porridge, about 25 minutes. Cool to 140°F (hot but you can hold a finger in it for 2 seconds).

Step 5: Stir in 7 oz rice koji and keep at 55–140°F for 6–8 hours (rice cooker on keep-warm with the lid ajar, or a low oven), stirring every couple of hours. It is ready when it is loose, smells sweet and tastes like sweet rice; above 149°F the koji dies, below 122°F it may sour.

Step 6: Stir 2 ⅞ oz sugar and 1 tsp fine sea salt into the amazake and let it cool completely to room temperature.

Step 7: Drain the daikon, rinse briefly and pat dry. Put it in the clean container with ⅛ oz kombu, and 1 dried red chilli and 1 tbsp yuzu peel if using, and spoon the cold amazake over so the daikon is completely coated and buried.

Step 8: Refrigerate for 3–5 days, turning the pieces daily, until translucent at the edges and sweet right through. Keeps 2 weeks in the fridge. Wipe off some koji, slice 5 mm thick and serve. Discard if fuzzy coloured mould, a rotten smell or slime appears.