In spring, use aromatic ingredients that get the Liver moving

Spring is the season to look after the Liver. It shows up in the drama too

This drama really does serve up a lot of lovely recipes.
It happened to touch on spring yakuzen as well, so today I want to dig into that a little.

What is five-phase theory, the basis of yakuzen?

Yakuzen works from five-phase theory, the idea that the natural world and the human body are made up of five elements.

Within it, the body corresponds to these five zang organs.

• Liver (kan)
• Heart (shin)
• Spleen (hi)
• Lung (hai)
• Kidney (jin)

These point less to organs as modern medicine means them, and more to broad functions the body needs to live.

Spring is closely tied to the Liver

Spring is the season most closely bound up with the Liver.
When the Liver's work goes out of order, people are said to become irritable and emotionally unsettled more easily.

So spring yakuzen keeps these points in mind.

• In spring it matters to look after the Liver
• When the Liver is working less well, you get short-tempered and unsteady
• At times like that, aromatic ingredients help

The aromatic vegetables in the drama

In this episode we got mitsuba omelette.
It looks good, it smells good, and it is exactly right for spring.

Ingredients for spring that settle the Liver

In spring, the point is to bring in ingredients with a strong aroma.
These are particularly worth reaching for.

• Japanese parsley (seri)
• Mitsuba
• Mint
• Parsley
• Coriander
• Celery
• New-season onion
• Citrus (yuzu, mandarin, lemon and so on)

When your head feels foggy, look in the fridge, and if any of these are there, do use them.

Even adding them to a simple omelette or a salad may lift the fog a little.

Why not settle spring irritability with yakuzen?

Spring means the Liver, and aroma settles it.
That is one of the basics of yakuzen.

Spring swings in temperature, and mind and body get unsteady with it.
Let aroma do some of the work, and go through it feeling good.

See you next time.

See all vegetables and their benefits