Japanese turnips are incredibly versatile and nutritious. They are mild and crunchy, like a radish with no heat. We love roasting turnips with olive oil and salt, adding them to soups, sauteeing them in stir fries, grating them onto salads, or pickling them. Some sushi restaurants will mince turnips much like they would wasabi (both are in the brassica family) to add a unique flavor for dipping sushi rolls.

Hakurei turnips have been a gateway root vegetable for us, in that they are so forgiving and adaptable to the weather of Los Angeles, and easier than any other root vegetable to grow. We fell in love with them because in about 6-8 weeks from planting them from seed, these huge roots start climbing out of the soil, as if they're asking to be picked. We do our best to not grow them for too long so they stay tender.