1.
a Japanese leafy green vegetable in the mustard family (Brassica rapa var. nipposinica) with slender white stems and deeply notched, jagged green leaves, eaten both raw and cooked; mizuna, potherb mustard
A traditional Japanese leafy vegetable originally cultivated in Kyoto and considered one of the classic Kyoto vegetables (京野菜). It has a mild, slightly peppery flavor and a crisp, watery texture. Traditionally eaten cooked in hot pot dishes such as はりはり{鍋}, it is now extremely common raw in salads, where the jagged leaves add crunch. In recent decades mizuna has spread worldwide and is popular in Western salad mixes under the name 'mizuna.'
サラダに水菜を入れる。
I put mizuna in the salad.
水菜はシャキシャキとした食感が特徴だ。
Mizuna is characterized by its crisp, crunchy texture.
鍋に豚肉と水菜をたっぷり入れて煮る。
Add plenty of pork and mizuna to the pot and simmer.
水菜は京都で古くから栽培されてきた伝統野菜の一つだ。
Mizuna is one of the traditional vegetables that has long been cultivated in Kyoto.
Written 水菜 with 水 (water) + 菜 (leafy vegetable). The name refers to the traditional cultivation method of growing the plant in channels of flowing water, without fertilizer — hence 'water vegetable.'
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 水菜のサラダ: mizuna salad
- 水菜と豚肉の鍋: pork and mizuna hot pot
- 水菜を洗う: to wash mizuna
- 水菜を刻む: to chop mizuna
- シャキシャキの水菜: crisp mizuna
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 京菜: an older name for the same plant, emphasizing its Kyoto origin; still seen on traditional product labels.
- 壬生菜: mibuna — a very close relative with rounded rather than jagged leaves, also from Kyoto.
- 小松菜: komatsuna, Japanese mustard spinach — a sturdier green with broad, smooth leaves; mild and slightly sweet.
- ほうれん{草}: spinach — softer leaves and deeper green; cooked rather than raw in Japanese cuisine.
- チンゲン{菜}: bok choy — a Chinese leafy vegetable with thick white stems.
CULINARY USES:
- はりはり鍋: a traditional Kansai hot pot of whale or pork with large quantities of mizuna.
- Added raw to green salads for crunch.
- Quickly parboiled (お{浸し}-style) with a light soy sauce dressing.
- Stir-fried with other vegetables.
CULTURAL NOTE:
Mizuna is classified as one of the 京野菜 (Kyoto vegetables), a prestigious group of traditional vegetables associated with Kyoto cuisine. It is available in supermarkets year-round today, but its peak season is winter.