Mizuna

Mizuna is an Asian green, very closely related to green mustard, but with a much milder taste. Mizuna will be in your share a few times this spring.

Cooking Tips

Mizuna's mild, slightly nutty flavor and pleasant chew make it surprisingly versatile. Raw, you can enjoy it almost as you would lettuce, as the base of a salad, in a sandwich, or even as a bed of greens for meat or fish. Alternately, try throwing it in a stir-fry at the last minute, or wilting and serving with a soup or stew.

Storage Tips

In a plastic bag, mizuna will store in your refrigerator for up to a week.

Nutrition

Like other mustard greens, mizuna is high in protein, thiamin, riboflavin, magnesium, phosphorus, and copper...as well as vitamins A, C, and B6, folate, calcium, iron, and potassium.

History

Mizuna is believed to have been developed in Japan, where it has been cultivated for thousands of years. Mizuna and other greens of the species Brassica papa have been an important crop in many parts of Asia for a very long time. The name mizuna appropriately means "water vegetable" in Japan, for its mild, fresh flavor.