Water pepper
여뀌
ⓒ
Photo: Martin Cilenšek · Public domain · Original file (Wikimedia Commons)
Water pepper, common by the water in Korea too, is an herb that's always served with sweetfish (ayu) in Japan. Chew a leaf and it has a sharp heat like wasabi.
Flavor and aroma
- It has a sharp heat like wasabi.
- Apart from the heat it has almost no aroma, so it doesn't mask the taste of fish or seaweed.
Fun facts
- The Japanese proverb "Some insects eat water pepper because they like it" (蓼食う虫も好き好き) means "there's no accounting for taste."
- In Europe it was grown as a pepper substitute during wartime.
- Wild water pepper is much hotter than cultivated plants.
- It's in the knotweed family, the same as rau ram and garden sorrel.
In the kitchen
Cooking
- Add heat to clear soups and salads. Use it like wasabi on sushi.
Sauces
- Finely chop the leaves and mix with vinegar and a little rice to make Japanese tadezu. Serve it with grilled freshwater fish such as sweetfish.
Garnish
- Use the red sprouts (benitade) to garnish sashimi.
Goes well with
Freshwater fishVinegarRiceSeaweed
Season
We're still checking the season. We'll add it once we find a source.
Details
- Korean name
- 여뀌
- English names
- water pepper
- Scientific name
- Persicaria hydropiper
- Former scientific names
- Polygonum hydropiper
- Family
- Polygonaceae
- Genus
- Persicaria
- Other names and notes
- Japanese: tade, Korean: yeokkwi
Cautions
The sap of wild water pepper can irritate the skin. Use plants grown for eating.
Show sources for this page
References for this herb
- Wikipedia
- Gernot Katzer's Spice Pages
- Forager Chef
- Eat Weeds
- 고토뱅크(일본 백과사전)
Name and classification
Photo
Martin Cilenšek · Public domain · Original file (Wikimedia Commons)