Crown daisies aren't just for soups: A fresh take on a popular Japanese vegetable - Japan Today

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Crown daisies (Glebionis coronaria), otherwise known as chrysanthemum greens and 春菊 shungiku in Japanese, are in season from November to February every year.

In recent years, they can be found in Japanese supermarkets all year round, but since they're more readily available when they're in season, many people put crown daisies in foods that taste great in the cold winter months, such as hot pot dishes, sukiyaki, and soups.

For this reason, many Japanese people have the notion that crown daisies are only good when cooked.

A fresh take on a winter favorite

"Crown daisies can be enjoyed without cooking them."

This message, posted by the Twitter account of 全農広報部, the PR Department of Zen-Noh, Japan's National Federation of Agricultural Co-operative Associations (@zennoh_food), surely caught many netizens by surprise.

Along with the message, the Tweet shared a delicious-looking salad using fresh crown daisies.

Simply cut the leaves into 3 cm pieces, and add cubes of silken tofu, bacon, and other ingredients of your choice as well as your choice of dressing for a tasty and healthy crown daisy salad.

Photo: Reproduced with permission from 全農広報部, the PR Department of Zen-Noh, Japan's National Federation of Agricultural Co-operative Associations (@zennoh_food)

Although they're delicious when cooked, you can enjoy the aroma and texture of crown daisy leaves more by eating them raw.

The stems are a little tough, so it's best to separate them for use in miso soup and other hot dishes.

While some people expressed their surprise and excitement with comments such as: "I didn't know that" and "I want to try it right now," others revealed that they already enjoyed crown daisies raw.

If you're looking for a new salad idea and can find crown daisies where you live, why not give it a try?