February Seasonal Japanese Fruits and Vegetables

Sansai, Japanese mountain vegetables, start to come into the market this time of year. Growing up, my mother and her Korean friend, Ki-san, would forage for warabi(fiddleheads of bracken) in the forest in Minnesota. There was always a short window to pick these as they grow very quickly. Once home the fiddleheads were washed thoroughly, blanched, and then simply dressed with some soy sauce. Fuki (giant butterbur) cooked into a sweet soy broth Tsukudani style is one favorite. Fukinoto (butterbur buds) are best when deep-fried as tempura. Shungikuleaves are wonderful in nabe (hotpots) or blanched and dressed with a sesame dressing. But perhaps my favorite thing this time of year is sansai served over soba or cooked with the rice for sansai gohan.

Broccoli –

Cabbage –

Cauliflower –

Celery –

Daikon –

Fuki – giant butterbur

Fukinoto – butterbur buds

Gobo – burdock root

Hakusai – Napa cabbage

Hoursensou – spinach

Komatsuna – Japanese green (sometimes called mustard spinach) in turnip family

Kuwai – arrowhead

Mitsuba – Japanese hornwort (also called Japanese parsley)

Mizuna – Japanese green (sometimes called potherb mustard)

Yamaimo – Japanese mountain yam

Nanohana – rapeseed flowers

Naganegi – Japanese leeks

Ninjin - carrots

Nozawana – Nozawa greens (in the same family as the turnip)

Renkon – lotus root

Seri – Japanese celery

Shungiku – chrysanthemum leaves

Udo - udo (a Japanese vegetable in the ginseng family)

Wakegi – green onions

Warabi – fiddleheads of bracken

Yurine – lily root

Fruit

Strawberries are all over the markets now, and perhaps best experienced in sweets found at depachika. We try to keep some fresh yuzu in the fridge using the juice for ponzu and the aromatic peel as a garnish. The Los Angeles Times recently did an interesting piece on dekopon.

Daidai – a type of orange

Dekopon – a type of citrus

Hassaku – a type of citrus

Ichigo – strawberry

Iyokan – a type of citrus

Kinkan – kumquat

Kiwi -

Lemon –

Navel orange –

Ponkan – a type of tangerine

Ringo – apple

Setoka – a type of citrus

Yuzu –

January Japanese Seasonal Fruits Vegetables

Following is a list of seasonal fruits and vegetables in Japan this month. Root vegetables in particular are plentiful this time of year. Daikon is one of my favorites as it is can be used in so many dishes. It can be julienned for a salad, simmered and dressed with a sweet miso dressing, in soups, or grated and used as a garnish. I also love the sticky, slippery texture of nagaimo. It can be grated and served over hot rice with a splash of soy sauce, or I like to cook it like an omelet and serve it with some nori. (LINK) Fruit like strawberries and apples can be found in sweets and pastries.

Broccoli –

Cabbage –

Cauliflower –

Celery –

Daikon –

Eringi – eringi mushroom

Gobo – burdock root

Hakusai – Napa cabbage

Hoursensou – spinach

Jagaimo – potatoes

Kabu – turnips

Komatsuna – Japanese green (sometimes called mustard spinach) in turnip family

Mekyabettsu – Brussel sprouts

Mizuna – Japanese green (sometimes called potherb mustard)

Nagaimo – Japanese mountain yam

Nanohana – rapeseed flowers

Negi – Japanese leeks

Ninjin – carrots

Nira – garlic chives

Parsley –

Renkon – lotus root

Saradana – salad greens

Satsumaimo – Satsuma sweet potato

Seri – Japanese celery

Shungiku – chrysanthemum leaves

Yamatoimo – Yamato potato, similar to nagaimo

Yurine – lily root

Daidai – a type of orange

Ichigo – strawberry

Kinkan – kumquat

Lemon –

Navel orange –

Ponkan – a type of tangerine

Ringo – apple

Yuzu –