Grandma's Recipes 
福岡県 
* Photo is for reference 佐賀県 🌸 Spring
Japanese Grandma's Simmered Butterbur (Fuki no Nimono)
Fuki (Japanese butterbur) is one of the first wild plants to herald spring in Japan. This delicate simmered dish from Saga Prefecture captures the essence of the season with just a few ingredients, letting the fresh, slightly bitter flavor of the butterbur shine.
🧂 Ingredients
servings
* In traditional Japanese grandma cooking, measurements are approximate — think of them as guidelines rather than exact amounts.
| Main Ingredients | |
| Fresh butterbur (Fuki) | 適量 (Freshly picked is best) |
| Seasonings | |
| Dashi stock | enough to half-cover the butterbur |
| Light soy sauce (Usukuchi) | about 1 tablespoon |
| Sake (cooking rice wine) | 1 tablespoon |
| Salt | 適量 (For removing bitterness) |
👩🍳 Instructions
- 1
Rub the fresh butterbur with salt on a cutting board (itazuri), then boil for about 5 minutes. Peel the skin afterward.
💡 Board-rubbing helps draw out the bitterness.
- 2
Cut the butterbur into pieces about 4cm long, then simmer in dashi and sake for about 5 minutes.
- 3
When the dashi has reduced, add light soy sauce and adjust the flavor while continuing to cook.
💡 Using light soy sauce keeps the butterbur's color beautifully green.
📖 Memories & Stories
I still vividly remember climbing the hills behind grandma's house with her every spring break to gather butterbur. She always said fresh butterbur must be cooked quickly before the bitterness sets in. After not being able to visit during spring for a couple of years, grandma sent me raw butterbur by mail and my mother tried to cook it, but it was too bitter and I couldn't stand it for a while. When I finally visited again in spring and saw butterbur on the table, I was hesitant, but one bite brought back all my happy memories. Now that I live in Saga myself, I make this grandma-taught recipe on my own!
Source: Learned directly from grandma (Submitted by: みみママ)
🍽 Cultural Background
Butterbur is a wild plant native to Japan and one of the first signs of spring. Picking fresh butterbur growing near mountainsides and gardens to cook at home is a cherished springtime tradition in rural Japan.
