Budget Water Spinach Regrows From Stems
Water spinach, a heat-resistant leafy vegetable that can cost about half as much as spinach and be regrown at home from leftover stems, is attracting attention in Japan as households look for affordable ways to cope with rising summer vegetable prices. (News On Japan)
Water spinach, a cost-effective leafy vegetable that can be regrown from leftover stems at home, is gaining popularity in Japan as households seek affordable options amid rising summer vegetable prices. At a Tokyo supermarket, water spinach is priced at 105 yen, roughly half the cost of spinach. Also known as kusensai in Japan, the vegetable hails from Southeast Asia and boasts high vitamin and iron content, making it useful for preventing summer fatigue.
The vegetable's hollow stems and ability to thrive in hot conditions have contributed to its growing demand and relatively stable pricing. Shoppers reportedly find it easier to purchase than other summer vegetables due to its consistent price. Water spinach can be easily cultivated at home, with a single stem potentially yielding a large plant and multiple harvests within six weeks.
The vegetable is commonly used in Chinese and Southeast Asian dishes but can also be incorporated into Italian recipes, as demonstrated by an Italian chef in Kanagawa Prefecture. Despite recent typhoons affecting the Okinawa region, water spinach remains a resilient and economical choice for Japanese households.
Written by urgent.news from News On Japan's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
