Eating Weeds

Spring is time for all kinds of things to sprout along the roadside, among them, tsukushi or wild horsetails. These will grow into those annoying weeds that are nearly impossible to get rid of, but the young sprouts are edible.

Note: they are poisonous to animals.

Collect them from an area free of contamination and carefully remove the outer shell. Boil the stems until they turn a reddish color and plunge them immediately into cold water. Let them soak briefly to get rid of the bitter taste. Trim the bottom end and they are ready to use in a recipe.

You can serve them with soy sauce and katsuobushi bonito fish flakes.
You can add them to a stir fry with other spring vegetables. Stir fry in a small amount of oil, with soy sauce and bit of sugar to flavor them.

Most of the wild greens and wild plants that we eat tend to be bitter, but a small portion of these bitter plants can be refreshing and the taste signals the end of winter.