Myoga Buds: How to Grow the Autumn Asian Delicacy
As leaves turn color and sweaters are unpacked from a long summer slumber, I begin to thrill with the anticipation of an unusual crop whose harvest is timed for shorter days and blacker nights: Myoga ginger buds.
Photography by Marie Vilijoen .
Myoga buds from my potted plant. Zingiber mioga (commonly known as myoga) is native to the cold valleys and slopes of East Asia, and can be grown year-round in-ground down to USDA growing zone 7 (at least, officially: Other sources have had success down to Zone 5b, unprotected).
At Japanese markets each bud sells for around $5 to $8. They are firm and crisp, a seasonal delicacy in Japan and Korea.
Myoga buds form beneath the surface of the soil. Appearing at the base of the green, leafy stalks, myoga buds begin to poke out when they are about two to three inches long.
New myoga shoots in early spring after overwintering indoors.
Their floral flavor is delicate and mildly spicy.
Myoga slivers atop warm, eight-minute eggs with avocado and Aleppo pepper.
There is no limit to dressing up a can of good sardines. I also like to slice the buds on the bias and toss with finely-cut shiso or basil leaves and a pinch of salt.
Silken tofu with some drops of sesame oil, shoyu, and raw myoga buds.
Pear with miso, lemon juice, myoga buds, roasted apricot kernels, and Maldon salt. (I’m inspired, when creating recipes for a plant with a starring botanical role, by the ingredients in the plants’ native range.)
This refreshing salad combines cucumber’s juiciness with creamy toasted sesame and the floral crunch of slivered myoga buds. Wash and dry the cucumbers and slice them thinly. Transfer to a serving plate, and dig in.
Cucumber and Myoga Salad with Sesame
Apple and Gochujang Salad with Prosciutto and Myoga
The best autumn lunch: Juicy, new-crop apples are tossed in a dressing spiked with Korean gochujang, and topped with crisped prosciutto and the floral crunch of fresh myoga buds. Add the apple chunks and toss gently until they are covered in the dressing.