Sansai

[sanrensho]

I had a book on yomogi, and yomogi tempura was in that book.  You can also boil yomogi leaves for some time and eat them as ohitashi (with katsuobushi and some dashi/soy sauce/mirin sauce, for example) and put them in miso soup.

Thanks for the suggestions. I will definitely try them. Does the yomogi require aku-nuki (boiling separately) before putting in the miso soup?

How long would you boil the yomogi for ohitashi? Have you ever had yomogi in nabe?

Edited May 15, 2007 by sanrensho (log)

[Hiroyuki]

I had a book on yomogi, and yomogi tempura was in that book.  You can also boil yomogi leaves for some time and eat them as ohitashi (with katsuobushi and some dashi/soy sauce/mirin sauce, for example) and put them in miso soup.

Thanks for the suggestions. I will definitely try them. Does the yomogi require aki-nuki (boiling separately) before putting in the miso soup?

How long would you boil the yomogi for ohitashi? Have you ever had yomogi in nabe?

←

I should have clarified that. Sorry for lazy writing.

You must first boil yomogi in water for some time, say, 2 to 3 min. for aku nuki (harshness removal).

Then, you can have them in the ohitashi style or you can put them in miso soup.

In nabe? No. Probably you can substitute them for shungiku.

[helenjp]

From my yomogi file

Try and harvest it before it flowers - it will be less bitter.

Shira-ae with plenty of sesame and shredded konnyaku is one of my favorite dishes.

Here are a couple of Okinawan recipes:

Okinawan Takikomi-gohan

50g yomogi (soft young leaves, pull off stems, cut if necessary)

50 thin scraps of pork, season with a little salt and pepper

Squash 150g, remove seeds, cube

2 c rice (rice-measure cups 160ml)

1.5 tab miso, 1 tab ea mirin, sake (combine)

2 c dashi (Japanese cooking measure cups 200ml)

Salt, pepper

Rinse rice, place all ingredients in rice cooker, and away you go!

Yomogi, Beef, and Beansprout Soup

10g yomogi, soft young leaves, pull off stems

80g thin scraps beef, 1 grated clove garlic, salt, pepper. Cut up if necessary.

½ bag (150g) beansprouts, tails trimmed

Green half of one negi, in short lengths

1 dried red chili, strip veins and seeds

1 knob ginger, grated

4 c water in a pot, add beef, negi, chili pod. Bring to slow boil, add 1 tab sake and simmer 2-3 mins. Remove chili and negi, add beansprouts. Add ½ tab shoyu, and more salt and pepper if needed. Serve up, topping each bowl with fresh yomogi leaves.

Aojiru (leaves): soak a double handful of leaves in water about an hour before blending 1 c water with the leaves. You could never make me drink this, yomogi tea is much more pleasant!

Since yomogi is related to chrysanthemum; anybody with daisy, chamomile, or chrysanthemum allergy should stay away from it, especially as a bath herb.

Medicinally, it is a "styptic", so it will stop bleeding, both internally and externally, and since it is bitter, it also stimulates the liver, and it also suppresses harmful microbial activity without killing off lactic bacilli. As a tea, it will help nausea (but a strong decoction can be very unpleasant). So you can see why it's so valued as an all-purpose remedy for any kind of stomach, gut, or digestive problem!

Yomogi-shu: In May or June, dig up whole yomogi plant(s) before they flower. Weigh, and check that you have about (at least) 300g of plant matter. Wash roots and stems carefully, and hang upside-down to dry in the shade (about a week). Immerse in a big 1.8 liter pack/bottle of white liquor (shochuu). Although usable after about 3 months, this really takes about 6 months to reach a useful strength. Take about 1-2 tablespoonsful, either straight or in hot or cold water as a digestive.

Edited May 16, 2007 by helenjp (log)

[Hiroyuki]

Try and harvest it before it flowers - it will be less bitter.

←

You could write a book on yomogi. Thanks for a comprehensive list.

Some comments:

I certainly don't want to have yomogi leaves in summer! May and June should be the right time to harvest them, right?

2 c rice (rice-measure cups 160ml)

You mean 180 ml, right?

Don't tell me you have tried all of those recipes!

[SusieQ]

From my yomogi file

Try and harvest it before it flowers - it will be less bitter.

Shira-ae with plenty of sesame and shredded konnyaku is one of my favorite dishes.

Here are a couple of Okinawan recipes:

Okinawan Takikomi-gohan

50g yomogi (soft young leaves, pull off stems, cut if necessary)

50 thin scraps of pork, season with a little salt and pepper

..........etc. (message truncated)

Hi Helen, wow, you sure know your yomogi!

I see "thin scraps" of pork and beef called for in your recipes. Is that the same as "slices" in American English?

Thanks!

SusieQ

[SheenaGreena]

I want to say that yomogi is thrown in spicy korean fish soup at the end of cooking, but that could be another green?

I used to pick that stuff when I lived in korea as a kid, that stuff grows EVERYWHERE. My mom made it into mochi and a kind of korean mochi with that roasted soy bean flour dusted on the outside - very simple and very delicious

Earlier I ate a yomogi steamed bun that was stuffed with red bean. They make a great breakfast with a cup of black coffee

[sanrensho]

Thanks for all the suggestions, I look forward to trying them soon.

[Hiroyuki]

The other day, I got "yama asparagus" from my brother-in-law.

It tasted like asparagus. I didn't know anything about this sansai, and found it is called tachishiode.

[Hiroyuki]

My son is into sansai around this time of year.

Yesterday, he gathered some young leaves of hahakogusa and asked me to make them into ohitashi (simply boiled). We had the ohitashi with ponzu. It wasn't bad at all.

A description of hahakogusa in English

And, today, he gathered some tsukushi, and asked me to make them into ohitashi again.

Heads and hakama (skirts?) of tsukushi, which my son and daugher removed from the stems:

It wasn't bad, either, but last year, I made them into tsukudani (simmered with soy sauce, mirin, and sake), and I thought that tsukushi tsukudani was tastier.

A description of tsukushi (and sugina) in English

[Hiroyuki]

I got kogome (kogomi) from a neighbor tonight.

I posted a photo here. I like kogome!!

[Hiroyuki]

My son is really into wild herbs these day.

He gathered some licorice and dandelion leaves somewhere and asked me to cook them. I reluctantly complied with his request.

I posted photos here.