Wild Edibles of Japan

(Petasites japonicus) Member of the daisy family, closely related to coltsfoot. The young flower shoot is a springtime favorite of many in Japan. The flowers are pretty bitter and might need to go through a process before cooking them! They are often enjoyed fried up as tempura or turned into fuki-miso paste.

Fuki-miso paste recipe

Handful of Japanese butterbur buds
2 tbsp miso
1 tbsp sake & mirin
1/2-1 tsp oil

Roughly chop up the buds and saute with oil.

Reduce heat, add in miso, sake and mirin. Mix on low heat for a few minutes.

Serve on rice and enjoy ~

This dish is a way to enjoy the bitter flavors of spring. However, if it is too bitter for your taste, adjust the miso, sake and mirin, or add a sweetner of your choice. The butterburs can also be pre-soaked (change the water a few times) or blanched before cooking with, to further reduce bitterness.