Komatsuna Mustard Spinach

Komatsuna has long, slender stems with large, bright green spoon-shaped leaves, which in turn become a deeper green color as the plant ages and its delicate stems grow wide, coarse and pale in color. In its young state, Komatsuna is tender and delicate with a sweet flavor and mild mustard bite. Larger leaves develop a more fibrous, hardy texture with an assertive crunch and a peppery mustard finish. Komatsuna leaves are nutrient dense and rich in beta carotene, calcium and Vitamins A, B2, C, K. Like other members of the Brassica family, it is prized for its potential cancer fighting effects from the presence of glucosinolates. Besides, Komatsuna has a wide range of cooking applications dictated by the leaf's maturity upon harvest. When young, the leaves are very tender and can be used raw in salads and spring rolls or lightly sautéed in stir fries and wilted in pasta dishes. As the plant grows, the stems develop a hardier texture and require longer cooking times to become tender. Fully mature Komatsuna may be preserved as a pickled vegetable and is also fantastic added into soups and stews or braised with aromatics such as ginger, garlic and scallion.