Indian Kalimeris / Indian Aster (Ma Lan Tou)
上海の春の訪れ！細かく刻んで豆腐と和える「香る野草」
Description
An Asteraceae plant. Related to JP 'Kogiku', but in Jiangnan (Shanghai/Zhejiang/Jiangsu), it's the most elegant and aromatic spring edible herb. A precious veg available only in early spring, featuring unique refreshing aromas and slight bitterness. The star of 'Cold Dishes' always ordered at spring Shanghai restaurants.
Classification: Everyone, Ingredient, Vegetable, Ma Lan Tou, Indian Aster, Jiangnan Cuisine, Shanghai Cuisine, Spring Flavor, Wild Herb
Shops selling Indian Kalimeris / Indian Aster (Ma Lan Tou)
Researching
We are researching shops that sell this item.
On this site you can check dictionary details and, later, places to buy or eat related items.
The How to use section below is a general reference, not instructions from the listed shops.
How to use
Ingredients
- Kalimeris indica(Indian Aster)
Instructions
- [Typical Uses]
- [Ma Lan Tou Ban Xiang Gan]: Mix boiled, finely chopped Ma Lan Tou with finely diced pressed tofu (Dou Fu Gan), and toss with sesame oil, sugar, and salt. The ultimate appetizer Shanghai people claim 'spring hasn't started without eating this'.
Learn more Substitutes, pairings, tips
Key spices
Refreshing chrysanthemum aroma like condensed spring meadows; sweetness pairs perfectly with tofu
Substitutes at Japanese supermarkets
(Irreplaceable. Push comes to shove, mince the tender parts of Shungiku extremely fine)
Pairing
Dou Fu Gan (Pressed Tofu) / Sesame Oil / Pine Nuts
Trivia
Said to 'get better the more you mince it'; restaurants chop it down to microscopic sizes. When sesame oil and Ma Lan Tou aromas meet, the mouth floods with the scent of spring.
Eating tips & etiquette
Said to be named 'Ma Lan' because 'horses (Ma) like eating it'. Once foraged wild, it is now cultivated massively near Shanghai.
Allergen
None