Myoga is a common wild spice herb in Japan. It’s also known as Japanese ginger. Japanese housewives often use it in salads, stir-fries, and pickles. Rich in fiber, with a crisp texture and a delicate aroma, myoga is a premium spice vegetable.

Myoga is a popular spice herb in Japan and is available year-round. The young shoots are eaten in spring, the flower buds in summer and autumn, and the myoga flowers at the end of the season.

Young myoga can be shredded and used as a seasoning in noodle soups, tofu soup, miso soup, and more commonly with sashimi. It can also be cooked. Japanese housewives often use myoga as tempura, stir-fried, or salad dressings. Towards the end of the season, it’s pickled in sugar and vinegar.

Myoga’s unique aroma and spiciness can help stimulate appetite.

Myoga is 90% water, making it a great way to replenish your body’s fluids in the summer. Its unique aroma can also stimulate appetite and stimulate the brain. Rich in the mineral potassium, Myoga helps eliminate excess salt from the body and lowers blood pressure, thus preventing high blood pressure and effectively treating foot swelling.

However, while Myoga is nutritious, it is also a pungent vegetable, so consume it in moderation to avoid stomach upset.

Three Tips for Choosing Myoga:

Look for:

• Undamaged and firm.
• Plump flesh, avoiding a shrunken appearance.
• Look for ones with invisible flower buds.

Myoga’s unique aroma makes it commonly used as a condiment or garnish, but it’s also delicious in miso soup or deep-fried as tempura.

However, it’s important to note that Myoga’s aroma is highly volatile, so its flavor may fade with heating. Therefore, add it to the pot just before removing the dish from the heat to preserve its aroma.

It is also recommended to chop it before use to avoid the loss of flavor due to long-term storage. After chopping, you can quickly wash it with water to rinse off some of the astringency.