Oenanthe javanica

Description

Oenanthe javanica is a perennial herb that grows to about 1 m in height, with fibrous roots that emerge from all nodes, and flowers with 5 white petals and 5 stamens. The leaves are aromatic, glabrous, and have a sheath covering the stem. The leaflets are divided into lobes and crinkled. The 'Flamingo' variety has colorful pink edges. The plant grows wild in moist areas, along streams and on the edges of ponds.

The plant is considered officially invasive in several states of the United States.

Culinary use

While many other species of Oenanthe are extremely toxic, Oenanthe javanica is edible, and is cultivated in China, India, Japan, Korea, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Taiwan, and Vietnam, as well as in Italy, where its spring growths are relished as a vegetable.

India

Known locally as komprek (), it is commonly consumed in the Northeast Indian state of Manipur, where it is one of the main ingredients in Manipuri eromba and singju.

Japan

Called seri (セリ) in Japanese, it is one of the ingredients of the symbolic dish, Nanakusa-gayu, consumed annually on January 7. Seri is so called because the vegetable tends to aggressively compete with other plants for nutrition and space, thus the name 'seri' (競り) meaning 'to compete'. It is grown in irrigated rice fields, and in areas with clear and abundant water sources.

Miyagi Prefecture leads Japan's domestic seri production, and within the prefecture, Natori accounts for approximately 80% of the harvest, of which it became known as Sendai seri (仙台せり). It is known for its crunchy texture, rich flavor and the umami taste of the roots, hence it became one of the meibutsus of the region. In March 2024, Sendai seri received Geographical Indication status from the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.

Seri season begins from September to June, and it comes in two varieties: the winter variety, called ne-seri (根せり; root seri) is the whole seri, with root attached, while the spring variety, called ha-seri (葉せり; leaf seri) uses young and tender shoots. The former variety ends in March, giving way to the latter variety in April.

A regional specialty of Sendai is seri-nabe (せり鍋), where whole seri are put into a soup stock alongside other ingredients in a hotpot. It is offered every winter and several restaurants have specialized themselves in this dish due to its rising popularity. Kiritanpo-nabe, another hotpot dish originating from Akita Prefecture, also uses seri as one of its ingredients.

File:Nanakusa gayu on Nanakusa no sekku.jpg|Nanakusa-gayu (seven herb congee) eaten on Nanakusa-no-sekku (seven herb festival)

Korea

In Korea, the plant is called minari (미나리) and is eaten as namul vegetable. The 2020 drama film Minari is named after the vegetable. Although minari is a native Korean word, it is represented by the hanja '芹' (geun) in ancient records as it carries the same meaning. Minari holds special value among the Joseon aristocracy because it is seen as a symbol of loyalty and humility; during King Sejong's reign, minari kimchi are placed on the second row of the table during ancestral rites. Additionally, it is also a symbol of learning, and the phrase chaegeun (채근; 采芹), which means 'harvesting minari', is used to describe studying at Sungkyungkwan. The vegetable was grown everywhere, from commoner households to the palace itself. Before the introduction and subsequent rise to popularity of cabbage in Korea during the late Joseon period, minari is the main ingredient of making kimchi alongside radish.

Minari-ganghoe is a seasonal food that is prepared every early April in anticipation of Buddha's Birthday, usually eaten with gochujang. There used to be a difference between the minari-ganghoe prepared by commoners and royalty; while the former is made in the shape of a topknot, the latter is made in the shape of a jokduri.

File:Minari-muchim.jpg|Minari-muchim (seasoned water dropwort salad) File:Minari-oi-muchim.jpg|Minari-oi-muchim (seasoned water dropwart and cucumber salad) File:Minari-buchimgae.jpg|Minari-buchimgae (water dropwort pancake) File:Minari-ganghoe.jpg|Minari-ganghoe (water dropwort rolls)

Constituents

The plant contains persicarin and isorhamnetin.

References

References

1. Zhuang, X.. (2011). "''Oenanthe javanica''".
2. {{PLANTS
3. Arthur O. Tucker and Thomas DeBaggio. ''The Encyclopedia of Herbs: A Comprehensive Reference to Herbs of Flavor and Fragrance.'' Timber Press, 2009. p. 353. {{ISBN. 9781604691344
4. {{GRIN
5. "Java waterdropwort/Oenanthe javanica - Wisconsin DNR".
6. (2007). "Edible Wild Plants of Vietnam: The Bountiful Garden". Thailand: Orchid Press.
7. [https://www.invasive.org/browse/subinfo.cfm?sub=37119 Java waterdropwort] at Invasive.org. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
8. [https://efloraofindia.com/2018/07/15/oenanthe-javanica/ Oenanthe javanica"] at eFlora of India. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
9. 宮城県農政部食産業振興課. "根っこまでおいしい宮城の在来野菜「せり」｜特集｜【公式】食材王国・宮城県の県産品サイト「宮城旬鮮探訪」".
10. "春・冬の旬野菜セリ".
11. "名取のせり鍋特集　宮城仙台のご当地グルメ {{!}} 名取市観光物産協会 公式ホームページ".
12. "〔仙台グルメ〕仙台せり鍋【冬】".
13. "せり鍋".
14. "【仙台名物】今が旬！セリ鍋がうまい店6選".
15. "水芹火鍋".
16. "きりたんぽ鍋 秋田県 {{!}} うちの郷土料理：農林水産省".
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18. "セリ　～旬は冬ですが、春の七草の一つ".
19. ''Journal of Plant Biology - Volumes 45-46'' 2002- Page 83 "The cultivated type, 'Minari', is a major vegetable crop. These two types are not easily distinguishable; even quantitative characters such as leaf and petiole size cannot be used as criteria for their classification."
20. Lee, Paula Young. (2021-02-18). "In Minari, Yuh-Jung Youn Shows Us America Through the Eyes of a Korean Elder". [[Center for Asian American Media]].
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23. Go, Joo-hwan. (2024-03-14). "김치의 원조, 미나리".
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28. Anticoagulant activities of persicarin and isorhamnetin. Ku SK, Kim TH and Bae JS, Vascul Pharmacol., April 2013, volume 58, issue 4, pages 272-279, {{doi. 10.1016/j.vph.2013.01.005