Tatsoi Reclamation Project
March 25th, 2010 · 3 Comments · Posted in garden
The race is on with our garden greens
We are nearing the end of a race with our over-wintered greens, wherein we try to eat them before they can “bolt” and go to seed.
I recently harvested all of the mizuna from one small bed–no small task, seeing as it means pulling each plant from the ground individually, then picking off the leaves. But the work was worth it, as I ended up with a bag bulging with spicy mizuna that I can use in the days ahead for salads or as a bed for my usual breakfast of fried eggs.
Next came the tatsoi, the plants suddenly stretching for the sky. The stems elongate and form buds for flowers. Again, I pull up each plant. But this time, I don’t bother pulling off the leaves. Acting on a tip from our friend Pattie in Atlanta, I simply snip off the roots for the compost heap, douse the plants in a tub of cold water, then give them a rough chop. I toss my tatsoi in our cast iron wok for a quick stir fry. The result reminds me very much of one of our favorite dishes at the Chinese restaurant.
Yes, some of the stems were a little tough. And, yes, I need to work on my sauce (soy sauce, mirin, rice vinegar). But this was a delicious spring treat to savor from the garden.
Does bolting tat soi ever reach a point where it’s too old to prepare like this? I have some still in the ground that’s quite tall with lots of flowers. I tell myself I’ve left it in the ground as a treat to winged pollinators, but it’s also due to laziness.
I don’t know the answer to that question because I’ve never eaten the whole plant when it was this far gone before. Pattie Baker in Atlanta says she loves to cook tatsoi with the flowers. Maybe other readers have more experience with it and will share it.
Hi, Ed and ppolischuk! Even more than cooking it, I like to eat it raw! I chope it up and toss with balsamic and olive oil . Hoenslty, I can’t get enough of this. And the flowers are delicious! And if you can catch them right before they fully bloom, they are extra yummy. I introduced kids to this last year and they crouch like rabbits in the garden and nibble away. If it’s really almost past its prime, just sprinkle the flowers in a salad for the “pretty factor.”