Helwingia japonica

Japanese name：hanaikada

Edible Season and Uses of Hanaikada(April to June)

The young shoots and leaves of Hanaikada are harvested between April and June, offering a versatile range of cooking options to enjoy its flavor and nutritional benefits.

Preparation Methods

• Rice Mix: Blanch the young shoots and leaves, then mix them into freshly cooked rice for a seasonal delight.

• Sesame or Vinegar Dressing: Prepare a side dish by combining blanched leaves with sesame or vinegar-based sauces for a flavorful touch.

• Miso Soup: The leaves make an excellent addition to miso soup, enhancing the dish with their subtle taste.

• Stewed Leaves: Simply boiling the leaves and serving them as-is brings out their natural flavors and is particularly delicious.

Ancient Wisdom

In olden times, people would blanch the leaves, dry them, and pack them into kamasu (straw bags) for storage. These dried leaves were further steamed in seiro (traditional steamers) and preserved as "Kateba" (nourishing leaves), a valuable food resource for times of need.