Sansai
Sansai is a Japanese word literally meaning "mountain vegetables", originally referring to vegetables that grew naturally, were foraged in the wild, and not grown and harvested from fields. However, in modern times, the distinction is somewhat blurred, as some sansai such as warabi have been successfully cultivated. For example, some of the fern shoots such as bracken and zenmai shipped to market are farm-grown.
They are often sold pre-cooked in water, and typically packaged in plastic packs in liquid. The fern shoots warabi, fuki stalks in sticks, and mixes which may contain the above-mentioned combined with baby bamboo shoots, mushrooms, etc., are available in retail supermarkets, and ethnic foodstores in the US.
Sansai are often used as ingredients in Buddhist vegetarian cuisine known as shōjin ryōri.
Examples
Sansai include:Chishimazasa, Nemagaridake - bamboo shoots of Sasa kurilensis.Fuki-no-tō - flower shoots of butterbur Gyojaninniku - similar to ramps Hana-ikada, Helwingia japonica, young leaves.Harigiri - Acer species, young leaves tarter than tara.Itadori Koshiabura, Chengiopanax sciadophylloides - young leaves.Mitsuba, Cryptotaenia canadensis subsp. japonicaMomijigasa - an aster family plant, for young leaves and shootsNiyama-irakusa, Laportea macrostachya - Nettlelike plants, which though young leaves and stems are eaten have stinging hairs requiring cautionNirinsō, Anemone flaccida - young leaves are eaten but may be mistaken for wolfsbaneNobiru, Allium macrostemon - similar to field garlicNogeshi - sowthistle, for young leaves Seri - Japanese parsley Sarunashi - fruits are eaten raw or to flavor alcoholShiode - young leavesTara no me - young shoots of the Japanese angelica treeTade - Water pepper, leaves and shoots used as an ingredient for sauces or as a garnishTsuwabuki - Stems prepared like fukiUdo - Japanese spikenard.Uwabamisō Warabi - bracken shootsZenmai - another type of fern top, more prized than kogomi or warabi, and also sold dried.