A Foodie’s Guide to 10 Vegetables used in Japanese Cuisine

Given the chance the adventurous foodie in us all would jump at preparing meals from an international cuisine. Whether for a personal challenge or an attempt to recreate meals from holidays, it’s never been easier to source the unusual ingredients. Let’s find out about the most popular vegetables used in Japanese cuisine and what they are best used for.

Daikon

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What is it?

Daikon (Raphanus sativus) is a white napiform (turnip shaped) root vegetable which has a mild flavour. The leaves are also edible and bear the same hot taste as the stem.

What do you use it for?

Good as a garnish for sashimi, the daikon is also used in a condiment known as ponzu. This is prepared by grating the daikon root into a soy sauce and citrus juice blend. Apart from pickles, the leaves can be used in stir fries.

Wasabi

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What is it?

Wasabi (Eutrema japonicum) is also known as the Japanese horseradish for its impressive pungency with a hotness rivalling mustard. It grows underwater along river banks with its leaves on the surface. The aroma of wasabi stimulates the nasal passages particularly and at its strongest will bring tears to the eye. The leaves are also edible and bear the same hot taste as the stem.

What is it used for?

Wasabi can be bought as a paste, stem or as a powder. If you use the stem it must be used finely grated and very sparingly if not to overpower a dish. It is commonly used in sushi and placed between the fish and the seaweed. Due to its high cost it is possible to substitute wasabi for a blend of horseradish and mustard with some green food colouring to complete the look.

Gobo

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What is it?

Gobo is the Japanese name for Burdock (Arctium lappa) which can be harvested as a root vegetable. The taste of the immature flower stalks is reminiscent of its relative the artichoke.

What can it be used for?

Strong flavoured, the burdock root is a medley of sweet, pungent and mild with a harsh kick. It is this kick that is prized by cooks when added to a miso soup to complement the pork. If you find the taste too strong it can be reduced by first shredding, chopping or grating the root and leaving it in water for 10 minutes.

Shiso

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What is it?

Shiso (Perilla frutescens) is a leafy green herb that became commercially grown on a large scale back in the 1960s. Pretty much the entire plant is edible from the flowers, leaves, fruits and seeds to the stems.

What is it used for?

The green variety is popular in Japan and its large leaves are often pickled. The raw leaves are typically used in sashimi.

Shishito

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What is it?

These are Japanese green peppers (Capsicum annuum) characterised by their sweet, mild flavour. They are finger-length, slender and thin-walled with a skin that will redden if left to ripen.

What is it used for?

There are two popular serving suggestions; the first is to use them fried as tempura, the second is to roast them then top them with a drizzle of soy sauce and flakes of the bonito fish.

Nameko

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What is it?

This orange-brown mushroom (Pholiota nameko) is one of Japan’s most popular farmed mushrooms.

What is it used for?

The nameko are small and possess a warm, nutty flavour. These are typically used in miso soup and stir fries

Nagaimo

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What is it?

The nagaimo (Dioscorea polystachya) is a crunchy-textured tuber like a potato but much longer. It is harvested in spring and autumn and, unlike a potato, it can be eaten raw or cooked.

What is it used for?

The raw nagaimo can be eaten grated (tororo) as a side dish or added to noodles. It should be soaked for a few minutes in a diluted vinegar solution to help neutralise unpleasant oxalates in the skin.

Mitsuba

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What is it?

Mitsuba (Cryptotaenia japonica) is a herb with a refreshing, celery-like taste.

What is it used for?

Mitsuba sprouts are typically used in salads, sushi and to garnish soups.

Mizuna

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What is it?

Also known as Japanese mustard, mizuna (Brassica rapa nipposinica) is a decorative-leaved plant with a mild mustard flavour.

What is it used for?

Mizuna is best used as a salad leaf or garnish in soups or hot pots. In Japan it is often seen in tandem with julienned daikon.

Takenoko

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What is it?

Japanese food is famously seasonal and the takenoko (Phyllostachys edulis) or bamboo shoots symbolise spring like no other vegetable. Takenoko is actually the term given to the soft shoot of the bamboo plant that is harvested as it just breaks through the soil.

What is it used for?

Takenoko is very versatile and can be grilled, boiled for stews, steamed with rice or deep fried as tempura.

Hopefully this brief guide will have provided some helpful insight and ideas into the wonderful world of cooking with Japanese vegetables

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