Many people like mizuna in their salads.
Mizuna is a dark green leafy vegetable that appears to originate in China, although it is also widely grown in Japan. This plant belongs to the mustard family and can be used raw in things like salads or cooked in soups and stir fries. Some markets may have mizuna, especially during the winter months when produce is scarce, and it can also be grown at home if you have a small grow box or garden.
Mizuna can be added to a main dish salad containing other fresh vegetables and grilled chicken breast.
The name of this green leaf comes from the Japanese mizu, which means “water”, and nu, which means “mustard plant”. This green salad is also known as Japanese mustard, kyona, potherb mustard, or xiu cai, depending on which region of the world you are traveling to. Mizuna has a mild, almost sweet flavor with a slight hint of mustard. When fresh and in good condition, the plant is crunchy, with a bright and clear flavor and a crisp touch, giving texture and flavor to the dishes in which it is integrated.
Mizuna grows in the form of rosettes of long, smooth leaves that are dark green in color and very shiny. The leaves have shiny white stems; the combination of green and white reminds some people of bok choy, a related green. Many people like to use mizuna in salads or as a garnish for other dishes, but it can also be chopped up and added to soups, stir-fries, and noodles. Mizuna is very nutritious, like other Brassica relatives, making it a good addition to the diet.
This plant is extremely cold tolerant, making it popular with gardeners in cold regions. It is also good to eat in the winter when vegetables are sometimes hard to find and some people crave vegetables due to the tendency to eat a lot of fats and starches in winter when other foods are scarce. Some cooks also appreciate the mizuna’s versatility.
If you choose mizuna at the store, look for crisp curls with no signs of discoloration or stickiness. Keep the wrapped mizuna in the crisper drawer for three to four days before using it, and remember to wash it before use. If you want to grow mizuna at home, plant the seeds in a secluded, reasonably warm part of the garden and keep them well watered and thinned to encourage healthy, even growth. Harvest the mizuna as needed, and if you want to plant it next year, let a few plants sprout.