Vegetables

Garlic chives

ニラ　にら　nira

Also known asnira

At its best in Mar, Apr, May

Garlic chives (nira), Japanese vegetable
Garlic chives (nira) is at its best in Mar, Apr, May.

When it is at its best

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

In seasonAvailable

How to cook

Garlic chives: Liver and chives

Liver and chives

Stir-fried with liver over high heat, which lifts the aroma.

Garlic chives: Gyoza

Gyoza

Chopped into the filling. A classic pairing.

Garlic chives: Chives with egg

Chives with egg

Stir-fried with egg, finished quickly.

Garlic chives: Ohitashi

Ohitashi

Blanched briefly and steeped in dashi.

How to choose

Thick, broad leaves of a deep green, with a firm white base.

Storage

Sensitive to drying. Wrap in damp paper and refrigerate standing upright. Use within two or three days.

Main areas

Good to know

Cut back, it grows again from the crown, and can be harvested several times a year. The first cutting of early spring has tender leaves and a gentler scent, and is the most highly regarded. It has long been treated as a medicinal herb in China.

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At their best around the same time