GREENS / MUSTARD - Unzen Kobu Takana Leaf Vegetable

Originally from the area between the Mediterranean and Central Asia, it came via China to Japan , where it developed local varieties and ecotypes as it adapted to the country’s environmental and cultivation conditions. 

Known as the only type of takana mustard that can be eaten raw, this easy-to-grow brassica has been recognized by the prestigious Slow Foods Foundation, thanks to its rich history and phenomenal f lavor. Developed by a small farmer and seed store owner in Unzen, part of Nagasaki prefecture in Japan, the variety almost entirely disappeared in the 1960s due to competition with more profitable crops. Luckily, in the early 2000s this regional treasure was unearthed and revived by Iwasaki Masatoshi, a local farmer. Now this delicious variety is being safeguarded by a group of local farmers. The plants are typically harvested in October in Nagasaki and can be enjoyed raw, or pickled into traditional tsukemono, also stir fried and swirled into ramen. Plants grow like other mustard greens such as komatsuna.