Vegetables
Mizuna
水菜 みずな mizuna
Also known asmizuna
At its best in Jan, Feb, Nov, Dec
When it is at its best
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
In seasonAvailable
How to cook
Salad
Torn raw; the crisp bite is the point.
Harihari nabe
Cooked with whale or pork. A Kyoto speciality.
Ohitashi
Blanched briefly and steeped in dashi.
Stir-fried
Cooked quickly; overcooking loses the texture.
How to choose
Deep green leaves with slender white stems. A firm head with no damage.
Storage
Sensitive to drying. Wrap in damp paper and refrigerate standing upright. Use within three or four days.
Main areas
Good to know
One of the Kyoto vegetables, said to be named for growing on water and soil alone, without fertiliser. Also called kyona in the Kansai region. The crisp sound it makes in a hot pot gave the dish harihari nabe its name.
