Apr 16, 2024
How to forage for mountain veggies in Japan
One thing that I've grown extremely interested in during our time in the Japanese countryside is the practice of foraging for sansai, or mountain vegetables. We were introduced to this by some of our neighbors, who are already avid gardeners -- and honestly, it's a great way to save money as well as getting acquainted with new produce you may not have tried before!
If you'd like to try foraging for mountain vegetables yourself, these are some of my suggestions.
Mountian veggies, tempura style. Pic Credit: Tristan Ferne/CC By 2.0
Go with someone experienced the first few times
One of the most helpful things for me has been sansai-hunting with my neighbors, who are experienced with all things mountain vegetables. They know where to find particular things, how to identify them, plus what's in season and when. If you don't have anyone in your life who is a sansai-sensei, I'd recommend looking into apps like this one, which can be used to identify different plants. If you can't identify what something is, always err on the side of caution and don't pick it.
Choose a suitable environment to forage in
Out here in the countryside we're fortunate to have a myriad of mountainsides, riverbank areas, and forested areas which are pristine and basically untouched. Depending on where you live, you might have to travel out of your immediate area to go looking for sansai. Hopefully it goes without saying, but don't go foraging on private property (unless somehow you've obtained permission).
Bring some suitable tools
The things you'll need to forage for sansai are fairly minimal, but I would recommend some gardening gloves, some scissors, and something to carry your foraged veggies in -- a simple basket is ideal.
Don't over-forage
Part of the blessing of sansai is that they grow fairly abundantly in our local area, but it's always a case of being mindful of the sustainability aspect. Taking only what you need is a big thing, and we don't pull things out by their roots -- having some scissors means you can just snip things off at the stem.
Do some research on the best ways to prepare your sansai
The internet has a wealth of knowledge and recipes on how to prepare your sansai. I'd recommend getting some inspiration online about the best ways to enjoy them for maximum taste!
Spring is a great season for mountain veggie foraging, so if you're in a rural area I would suggest giving it a try!
Have you ever foraged for sansai before? Do you have any mountain vegetable favorites?
5 Comments
TonetoEdo
on Apr 16
Can you recommend some sansai to pick in April and May? I'm based in Kanto and I'm deeply curious about which leaves to forage. In my native Canada, my Ukrainian-born grandmother often found edible greens - sorrel - which she prepared in soup and salads. Do they grow in the Kanto region, I wonder?
helloalissa
on Apr 16
@TonetoEdo My local supermarket sells red sorel grown hydroponically with the roots still attached, so I planted the one that I bought and it survived the winter. That would be a nice one to find in the wild.
genkidesu
on Apr 17
@TonetoEdo There are lots of good ones out here, but three that are fairly prevalent at this time of year in the countryside: - Kogomi (they have a curly top and they're easy to spot - you can just boil them in salted water for about a minute so they're less bitter) - Nanohana (good for salads!) - Taranome (these are nice for tempura) If you can't forage locally you could check at local farmer's markets, our JA has a lot of them for cheap at this time of year!
TonetoEdo
on Apr 17
@helloalissa Thanks for the tip! I'll look out for sorrel at my local green grocers!
TonetoEdo
on Apr 17
@genkidesu Awesome tip, thank you! Ah, I know about nanohana and I've prepared it as goma ae. The other two are new to me. I'll see what I can find at JA and a local grocer.