SeasonaleatingissomethingofanobsessioninJapan,with
specialmenusdesignedtocelebratethemostfleeting
of ingredients, writesALEXANDRA CARLTON.
S p r i n g
ThespringingredientthatcapturestheJapaneseimaginationmore
thananyotheris takenoko,giantediblebambooshootsthatgrow
alloverJapanandareattheirmosttenderasthesnowmeltsfrom
themountainsandbringsnewlife.Manycountrypeoplewillhead
intotheforestfirstthinginthemorningtodigupthepyramid-shaped
shootstomakeintodishessuchastakenokogohan,wherethey’re
simplyboiledandservedwithrice,sake,mirinandsoysauce.
TheJapaneselovetocelebratetheblossomingofcolourful
flowersduringeverymonthoftheyear;thechrysanthemumsof
lateautumnandtheshaga,orwildfringedirises,ofspringare
justtwo.Buttheflowersthatluremosttouristsareofcourse
thesakura,radiantpinkcherryblossoms,whichbloomfora few
weekseachspring.Tocelebratetheirarrival,localsliketoserve
foodwitha pinkhuesuchassakuramochi– mochi-ricecakes
dyedpinkwithfoodcolouring,jamorpreservedcherries– or
dessertsfeaturingstrawberriessuchasshortcakesandjellies.
AnothercolourfuladditiontotheJapanesedinnertablein
springis nanohana,thebright-yellowbudsofa Japanesecrop
that’ssimilartoWesternrapeseedorcanola.It sharesmanyqualities
withbroccoliniandis eateninitsflowerlessformyear-roundbut
inspring,thetinyyellowtipsarea specialdelicacy.It’scommonly
eatenasa sidedish,servedsimplywith soy sauce, mirin and bonito
flakes or fried into a crisp tempura.Clockwise
fromfar
left:bamboo
shoots;Tokyo’s
Sakuraiowner
ShinyaSakurai
preparinggreen
tea;sakura
inShinjuku
Gyoen, Tokyo.YEAR
A COOK’S