Mizuna
Brassica rapa var. niposinica
Other names:
Turnip tops
A quick introduction
Mizuna grows well in spring and fall and can be eaten raw when the leaves are still young and tender. Mizuna is a type of turnip tops (or raapstelen in Dutch), tastes mild and is one of the least spicy asian greens we grow. We sometimes bunch mizuna but you can also find it in your box bagged. Sometimes we'll add it to a salad mix. When mizuna starts to bolt, pretty yellow flowers appear. We sometimes add a last bunch of flowering mizuna to the box as the flowers are perfectly edible. Do check for tougher parts of the stem and discard those.
Storage
As with all Asian greens we recommend washing mizuna in cold water (we do pre-wash it at the farm), then dry it and store in a closed container in the fridge. This way it will keep for almost a week.
Season
Spring and fall
Suggestions for preparation
We like to use mizuna in Asian stir-fries but also find it delicious in a Dutch 'stamppotje'. The younger leaves can be used in salads and have a pleasant mild taste. When you find a bunch of flowering mizuna in your CSA basket, always check the stems and discard the tougher parts.
Recipes
Vegan Saag paneer
Use Mizuna instead of spinach in this bean soup
Pasta with beans and greens (replace the kale with Mizuna)
Stir fried Mizuna
A tip from one of our members: “Purple frills and mizuna are delicious combined or on their own in a delicious dish we have concocted in our household. The tangy flavours are a great combo with (sustainable) grilled salmon. Usually we get a piece of salmon and grill it in the oven with some garlic and onions. Then, lay it on a bed of mizuna/purple frills and top it with a mustard & apple cider vinegar dressing. For a vegan version I use the same mustard-y dressing and combine slices of artichoke, pear and avocado and top with seeds of choice…”