Nanohana no Ohitashi

The nanohana plant is entirely edible, and the plant it is also the source of healthy Canola oil. Nanohana is a springtime flower, and in some areas of Japan you can find fields of the flower formed into mazes so visitors can wander through the blossoms and enjoy their beauty. Nanohana bloom just before sakura here in Japan, so they are kind of a prelude to spring, even though they are beautiful in their own right.

Yield: 2 servings

Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 4 oz nanohana (not blooming)
• 1 cup dashi soup (or 1 cup water with 1 tsp hon-dashi)
• 1 tbsp soy sauce

Preparation

1. Boil nanohana for 2 minutes then submerge in cold water
2. Strain and blot with a paper towel to remove any excess water
3. Chop nanohana into 2″ pieces
4. Mix dashi and soy sauce in a bowl and marinate nanohana for 15 minutes (this is called “ohitashi”)
5. Remove nanohana and serve as a side dish or light snack!