Warabi

Warabi is the Japanese term for bracken fern (Pteridium aquilinum), a type of edible fern commonly used in Japanese cuisine. This plant is known for its young, coiled leaves, which are harvested in the spring and prepared in various dishes. Warabi is, for example, used in dishes like sasa sushi. The young fern tips are often cooked, pickled, or used as an ingredient in salads and soups. They have a slightly slimy texture and a mild, earthy flavor. Another popular dish is warabi mochi (蕨餅), a traditional Japanese dessert made from warabi starch.

Warabi grows in various parts of Japan and is particularly common in mountainous regions, where it is wild-harvested. The harvest season for warabi is in the spring, when the young shoots are still tender.