卸し (おろし; Oroshi) comes in many types, the most common one is however the 大根卸し　(だいこんおろし; daikonoroshi), which is the beloved radish that often finds its way into Japanese style dishes. Other forms of grated vegetable used as condiment (薬味;やくみ) or garnish (付け合せ;つけあわせ) are for instance carrot, ginger or potato. Radish Oroshi does not only serve as a decorative addition, but with its distinct spiciness, it also has the property of neutralizing smells (i.e. from fish). What is more, containing various enzymes, radish oroshi is also said to facilitate digestion. Thus, often accompanies fried foods, like Tempura, or meat dishes (i.e. 唐揚げ; Karaage chicken) for the purpose. Hailing from the various health benefits of radish oroshi, we can hence find the saying 「大根おろしに医者いらず; だいこんおろしにいしゃいらず」. This expression is similar in meaning to ‘An apple a day, keeps the doctor away’ in English, lit. you won’t need a doctor as long as you eat it.

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