What is "Hanana" in Nagaokakyo, Kyoto? Recommended tasty way to eat!

Suddenly, have you ever heard of kyo yasai (Kyoto vegetables), which are grown in Nagaokakyo City, Kyoto Prefecture?
Hanana, a Kyoto vegetable from Nagaokakyo City, is eaten in early spring. It may not sound familiar, but it is actually a vegetable that everyone knows.
In this issue, we would like to introduce Nagaokakyo City's "Hanana" and our recommended tasty ways to eat it.

Table of Contents

• ■What is "Hanana" in Nagaokakyo City?
• ■Hanana (flower greens) in Nagaokakyo City is a delicious way to eat!
• ■ Summary

■What is "Hanana" in Nagaokakyo City?

The true identity of hana-hana, a traditional vegetable of Kyoto and also known as the vegetable that brings spring in Nagaokakyo City, is actually "rape blossoms.
Rape blossoms are everywhere in the country.
Tuna with mayo
Boiled vegetables
Gratin
Salad with bacon and boiled egg
It can be used for both Japanese and Western dishes as it goes well with cream and oil, etc. If you do not care where it comes from, you can buy it in supermarkets in mid-February~March.
However, "hana-nai" (flower greens) produced in Nagaokakyo City can only be purchased at direct sales outlets or at Nishiki Market and department stores.

They are shipped before the flowers bloom because the yellow flowers have a strong bitter taste.
The edible part is the bud of the flowering plant, which looks like broccoli.
Introduced from China in the Nara period (710-794), hana-nai is sweet and crunchy when eaten raw, and can be enjoyed as a salad.

■Hanana (flower greens) in Nagaokakyo City is a delicious way to eat!

So, what are some of the best ways to eat "Hanana" in Nagaokakyo?
Here are a few.

Pasta with ○ flower greens

Hanana greens are also excellent in pasta.
To create a savory flavor, chopped garlic and bacon are sautéed and mixed with boiled pasta, and the flower greens are added later and lightly cooked.
It can be lightly seasoned and stir-fried with men-tsuyu, or soy sauce is perfect.

pickled hana-nai

You can also eat the hana-nai as a pickles by mulling them over with salt.
Asazuke (lightly-pickled vegetables) gives you the sweetness of rape blossoms and goes well with rice.

Tempura of ○Hanana

Tempura is also recommended: cut the hana-nai into chunks, wrap them in shumai dough, and deep fry them until crispy.
It is sweeter and crispier.

Braised XX greens and asari clam in cream sauce

Heat olive oil in a pan with scallions and white wine.
Cover it immediately.
When the scallion opens, take it out and remove the shells. When the cooking liquid is reduced by half, add the cream.
When it is reduced to half its original volume, return the scallions to the pot, add the flower greens, and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper.

■ Summary

How was it?
In this issue, we have introduced the true identity of hana-nai, which comes from Nagaokakyo City, as well as a recipe for eating this delicious food.
If you visit Nagaokakyo City or see them in Kyoto, please try them.