Celery
セロリ せろり
At its best in Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, Nov, Dec
When it is at its best
In seasonAvailable
How to cook
Salad
Strings removed and sliced thin, for its fresh scent and crunch.
To flavour soup
Added to braises, where it forms the base of a Western broth.
Asazuke
Lightly salted, which softens the scent and makes it easier to eat.
Stir-fried
Cooked quickly over high heat; the leaves can be chopped in too.
How to choose
Thick stalks with clear ribs and deep green leaves, and a cut end not yet dried.
Storage
Separate leaves from stalks, bag each and refrigerate. Use the leaves first.
Main areas
Good to know
Its distinctive scent comes from compounds including apiin, and it is used to take the edge off meat. The leaves are strongly scented too and go into soups and stir-fries. Tradition holds that Kato Kiyomasa brought it back from Korea, which earned it the old name kiyomasa-ninjin.
