While many other species of
Oenanthe are extremely toxic,
Oenanthe javanica is edible, and is cultivated in
China,
India,
Japan,
Korea,
Indonesia,
Malaysia,
Thailand,
Taiwan, and
Vietnam, as well as in
Italy, where its spring growths are relished as a vegetable.
India Known locally as
komprek (), it is commonly consumed in the
Northeast Indian state of
Manipur, where it is one of the main ingredients in
Manipuri eromba and
singju.
Japan Called
seri () in Japanese, it is one of the ingredients of the symbolic dish,
Nanakusa-gayu, consumed annually on January 7.
Seri is so called because the vegetable tends to aggressively
compete with other plants for nutrition and space, thus the name 'seri' (競り) meaning 'to compete'. It is grown in irrigated rice fields, and in areas with clear and abundant water sources.
Miyagi Prefecture leads Japan's domestic
seri production, and within the prefecture,
Natori accounts for approximately 80% of the harvest, of which it became known as
Sendai seri (仙台せり). It is known for its crunchy texture, rich flavor and the
umami taste of the roots, hence it became one of the
meibutsus of the region. In March 2024,
Sendai seri received
Geographical Indication status from the
Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.
Seri season begins from September to June, and it comes in two varieties: the
winter variety, called
ne-seri (根せり; root
seri) is the whole
seri, with root attached, while the
spring variety, called
ha-seri (葉せり; leaf
seri) uses young and tender shoots. The former variety ends in March, giving way to the latter variety in April.
Kiritanpo-nabe, another hotpot dish originating from
Akita Prefecture, also uses
seri as one of its ingredients. File:Nanakusa gayu on Nanakusa no sekku.jpg|
Nanakusa-gayu (seven herb congee) eaten on
Nanakusa-no-sekku (seven herb festival)
Korea In Korea, the plant is called
minari () and is eaten as
namul vegetable. The 2020 drama film
Minari is named after the vegetable. Although
minari is a native Korean word, it is represented by the
hanja '芹' (
geun) in ancient records as it carries the same meaning.
Minari holds special value among the
Joseon aristocracy because it is seen as a symbol of loyalty and humility; during
King Sejong's reign,
minari kimchi are placed on the second row of the table during
ancestral rites. Additionally, it is also a symbol of learning, and the phrase
chaegeun (채근; 采芹), which means 'harvesting
minari', is used to describe studying at
Sungkyungkwan. The vegetable was grown everywhere, from commoner households to the palace itself. Before the introduction and subsequent rise to popularity of
cabbage in Korea during the late Joseon period,
minari is the main ingredient of making
kimchi alongside
radish.
Minari-ganghoe is a seasonal food that is prepared every early April in anticipation of
Buddha's Birthday, usually eaten with
gochujang. There used to be a difference between the
minari-ganghoe prepared by commoners and royalty; while the former is made in the shape of a topknot, the latter is made in the shape of a
jokduri. File:Minari-muchim.jpg|
Minari-muchim (seasoned water dropwort salad) File:Minari-oi-muchim.jpg|
Minari-oi-muchim (seasoned water dropwart and cucumber salad) File:Minari-buchimgae.jpg|
Minari-buchimgae (water dropwort pancake) File:Minari-ganghoe.jpg|
Minari-ganghoe (water dropwort rolls) ==Constituents==