Radisshu no kazarikiri, temari / decorative thread ball cut for radish

Create a decorative edible ornament with a little radish! It takes a bit of time, but all cuts are simple. It's an instant upgrade to a cheerful plate, bento or table, even ones filled with dull colors. Use globe-shaped radishes for best results.

<Ingredients>

Globe-shaped radish

<Directions>
1.

On the bottom, make eight V-shape cuts, removing cut parts.

2.

Along outer line of the eight V-shape cuts, make more cuts.
All cuts will be visible at the end; try to avoid cutting more than necessary (try to have cut ends meet, instead of crossing ends and leaving X marks).

3.

Below outer reverse V areas, make concave diamond-shape cuts, and remove cut parts.

4.

Soak in cold water for 10+ minutes to make cut lines more visible.

<Notes>

• If not using immediately, wrap in moistened paper towel and refrigerate.
• Temari [lit. hand ball] is a traditional Japanese handicraft made with colorful threads, often in a geometric design. Click here for examples on Google Images. Temari was once a real indoor and outdoor toy for kids and women, but gradually became a seasonal item for the New Year's holidays by the 17th or 18th century, possibly because of ongoing development of its decorative design started in the 16th century. Temarizushi, or a small sushi ball, is another example of food that uses the expression, temari, to describe its form and appearance.