Mizuna is a leafy green vegetable from China, now widely grown in Japan. It can be used raw in salads or cooked in soups and stir-fries. Mizuna is nutritious, cold hardy, and can be grown at home. It has a mild, sweet flavor with a hint of spice and is versatile in cooking. Look for crisp clusters with no discoloration or slime when buying, and keep it wrapped in the vegetable drawer for 3-4 days. To grow at home, sow seeds in a warm, insulated part of the garden and keep well watered.
Mizuna is a dark green leafy vegetable that appears to have originated in China, although it is widely grown in Japan. This plant belongs to the mustard family and can be used raw in salads or cooked in soups and stir-fries. Some markets may carry mizuna, especially during the winter months when there is a shortage of produce, and it can also be grown at home if you have a small planter or garden.
The name of this leafy green comes from the Japanese mizu, for “water” and nu, for “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’re traveling to. Mizuna has a mild flavor that is almost sweet, with a slight hint of a spicy flavor. When fresh and in good condition, the plant is crunchy with a bright, clear flavor and a hint of crunch, adding texture and flavor to dishes in which it is included.
Mizuna grows in the form of rosettes of long, feathery leaves that are dark green and very glossy. The leaves have brilliant white stems; the green and white combination 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 and added to soups, stir-fries, and pastas. Mizuna is very nutritious, like other Brassica relatives, making it a healthy addition to the diet.
This plant is extremely cold hardy, making it popular with gardeners in cold regions. It’s also good to have in the winter when vegetables are sometimes hard to come by, and some people find themselves craving leafy greens due to a tendency to eat lots of fats and starches in the winter when other foods are in short supply. The versatility of the mizuna is also appreciated by some cooks.
If you choose mizuna at the store, look for crisp clusters with no signs of discoloration or slime. Keep the mizuna wrapped in the vegetable drawer for 3-4 days before using, and remember to wash it before using. If you want to grow mizuna at home, sow the seeds in a reasonably warm, insulated part of the garden and keep them well watered and thinned to promote even, healthy growth. Harvest mizuna as needed, and if you want to make some the following year, let a few plants go to seed.
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