Though the Japanese title for edible chrysanthemum greens is shungiku, or spring chrysanthemums, the height season for these greens is definitely winter, from November to March.
The shungiku’s spiky inexperienced leaves, with their recent, herbaceous taste, are notably tender when the climate is chilly, making them a preferred ingredient in sizzling pots resembling sukiyaki, the place they provide a refreshing distinction to the wealthy, sweet-salty sauce and tender beef slices. The leaves additionally work nicely in salads, stir-fry and plenty of different dishes.
One of many edible cousins of the flowering chrysanthemum household, shungiku are believed to have originated from the Mediterranean area, the place the vegetation, with their small yellow flowers, had been used for ornamental relatively than culinary functions. They had been launched to Japan someday within the Muromachi Interval (1392-1573) by way of the Silk Street — by then the vegetable had already been cultivated for meals and medicinal functions in Asia.
