With interest in Asian cuisine, people are growing a wide variety of Asian greens with flavors from mild to spicy. Leaf colors range from purple leaved mustards to the white-ribbed Komatsuna. The leaf shapes can be flat and spoon-shaped, long and round, or thin and jagged.
These greens are easy to grow in early spring (April to early-May), love the cool weather, and grow in small spaces. Asian greens grow best in the drained soil of raised beds or containers. They’re perfect for a Northeast gardener. They can add zest to your salads and sautés. Below are a few Asian greens that you may enjoy adding to your taste pallet:
1.
Mibuna (Brassica japonica): Like Mizuna,
this is another traditional salad green of Japan with a similar flavor, but the
leaves are long and narrow with a curved edge.
2.
Mizuna (Brassica juncea var. japonica): A
traditional Japanese mustard salad green that has a mild taste when the leaves
are young but gets stronger as the leaves mature. You can also try leaves in
soups, steamed or in stir-fries. Sow autumn to spring.
3.
Tatsoi (Brassica navinosa): This is great
as a lettuce substitute. It has small spoon-shaped leaves with a long harvest
period. Seeds can be sown any time, but are best after frost.
4.
Tokyo Bekana ( Brassica rapa): A quick growing plant with very tender leaves that are great
for munching on. It looks a bit like a light green lettuce and leaves can be
broken off as needed. You will probably need to order these seeds online or
through your local nursery.
5.
Wasabi rocket (Diplotaxis erucoides): As the name
suggests this is a form of rocket that takes on a mustard wasabi flavor.
“Gardening simply does not allow one to be mentally
old, because too many hopes and dreams are yet to be realized.” (Allan Armitage)[i] |
| Stir-fried Asian greens |
[i] Sources used:
·
“How to: grow 5 easy Asian-style salad greens to
pack in your lunch” by Anna Gregory
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