Vegetables
Nozawana
野沢菜 のざわな nozawana
Also known asnozawana
At its best in 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
Nozawana pickles
Cured in salt. The pickle that represents Nagano.
Oyaki
Chopped, wrapped in wheat dough and griddled. A Shinshu speciality.
Stir-fried
Pickled leaves fried in oil, a way to use older pickles.
Ohitashi
Fresh leaves blanched briefly, only during the harvest.
How to choose
Thick, deep green leaves on stout straight stems, free of damage.
Storage
Fresh leaves do not keep. Pickle them at once, or refrigerate and use within two days.
Main areas
Good to know
Said to have begun at Nozawa Onsen in Nagano, where tradition holds that a priest of Kenmeiji brought the seed back from Kyoto. Frost sweetens it, so it is harvested and pickled around the first frosts. The plants grow to nearly a metre.
