🍲 Itadori no Nimono (Simmered Japanese knotweed)

Itadori is a perennial herb of the Polygonaceae family that grows wild throughout Japan and is an indispensable spring wild plant. It is also called "gonpachi" and "sukampo". The Shimokitayama Village History (compiled in 1973) states that people in Shimokitayama Village, Yoshino County (Kinari no Sato) have long favored eating "gonpachi". The origin of the name "itadori" comes from the fact that when one is injured, rubbing it into the affected area can relieve pain. Itai means pain, tori means remove, hence the name "itadori". Itadori has a strong acrid taste and acidity, so it is used for cooking after removing the acrid taste. Once the acrid taste has been removed, it can be preserved for a week in the refrigerator or for a long time in a barrel in salted water. It can be used in a variety of dishes such as stir-fried, boiled, and deep-fried. In some regions, it is cooked and served with rice. It is eaten throughout the prefecture, but especially popular in the mountainous areas of Yoshino.