Season for Wild Vegetables (Sansai)
Spring to early summer is the eagerly anticipated time for wild vegetables.
This year, wild vegetables are once again appearing on the shelves of local supermarkets.
Among them, I’d like to introduce Udo, a wild edible young shoot. Its fresh texture and slightly bitter flavor remind us that the season is changing with the warming air.
In Japanese cuisine, Udo is often prepared as Ohitashi (boiled vegetables with soy sauce and bonito flakes), Tempura, and Kinpira (sautéed vegetables with sweet soy sauce). However, it can also be transformed into a delicious Western-style dish.
This time, I wanted to enjoy its freshness and crunch, so I made a salad with it.
Complex Salad with Bitterness and Sweetness
The procedure is simple, but removing its bitterness is a crucial step that should not be skipped.
Wild vegetables are highly acrid and bitter, so be sure to do this process carefully.
Strawberries are paired with Udo for a sweet and sour taste.
The Prosciutto adds not only a salty flavor to this salad, but also makes it very satisfying as a main dish.
Simply combine the ingredients quickly with olive oil, then refrigerate for a while.
Just before eating, pour pomegranate vinegar (which I highly recommend!) on top.
Ruriko, Junmaishu, by Tatsuizumi Shuzo
This is a special sake produced by farmers in Yukawa Village, Fukushima Prefecture, in collaboration with Tatsuizumi Shuzo (Aizu Wakamatsu City), who aimed to make delicious sake from their own rice.
The sake is made from Koshihikari rice produced in Yukawa Village, and you can only buy it there.
Soft on the palate and refreshing, I found it easy to drink.
Despite the delicious and sweet taste of the rice, it is refreshing with a slight dryness, making it easy to pair with any dish.
It pairs easily with a slightly complex salad, like this recipe.
Udo, Strawberry and Prosciutto Salad
Description
Preparing mountain vegetables is a key for this delicious salad.
Ingredients
Instructions
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Prepare ingredients
In Japan, many types of wild vegetables, Sansai, can be found at supermarkets starting from the end of Feb, when people are waiting for Spring.
It can be replaced with radish, such as Daikon or any radish. In that case, slice them then soak them into water for 30mins so that spiciness is softened.
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Prepare the Udo shoot
Remove thin branching part (not used in this recipe), and peel the skin from the thick bottom part of the shoot.
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Remove bitterness
Cut into 3-4 cm pieces, cut into strips, and soak in water with vinegar for about 5 minutes.
Soak the strips in the vinegar water immediately after cutting, or they will discolor, so do it quickly.
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Tossing the salad
Combine the drained Udo with sliced strawberries, Prosciutto, and olive oil and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
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Serving
Place on a plate and drizzle with pomegranate vinegar.
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