Japanese Food Tips

Nabana is a cruciferous vegetable, the same as turnip, cabbage, napa cabbage, broccoli and so on. Generally, the edible nabana are cut rape blossoms that have been bred to have less bitterness. The flower buds, tender leaves and stems of nabana are edible. Good quality nabana with high market value are those whose flower buds are dense and have not yet opened, and whose stems are thick and the cut ends are nearly circular. Nabana is in season from January to March and is well known as a vegetable that heralds the arrival of spring. Nabana is used in soaked, dressed, and simmered Japanese dishes, as well as in stir-fries and pasta sauces. Nabana is a green and yellow vegetable, characterized by its distinctive bitterness and fresh texture, and high nutritional value. Notably, it is outstandingly rich in β-carotene and vitamin C.