[ad_1]
Learn to lower carrots into flower shapes for lovely Japanese meals presentation. From easy veggie cutter strategies to hand-carved plum blossoms (Nejiri Ume), I’ll present you step-by-step strategies to remodel carrots into elegant edible flowers.
In Japanese delicacies, we add carrot cash formed like flowers to simmered and scorching pot dishes for each celebratory events and on a regular basis house cooking. Immediately, I’ll present you each newbie and superior strategies for The best way to Minimize Carrots into Flower Shapes—particularly, iconic Japanese plum blossoms often called Nejiri Ume (ねじり梅). It’s really simple to do with somewhat follow, and also you’ll love how they improve your meals presentation!
See how I exploit nejiri ume in my Sukiyaki, Shabu Shabu, and Chikuzenni (Nishime) recipes!
What’s Nejiri Ume?
Nejiri ume (ねじり梅) interprets to “twisted plum.” We use this ornamental lower to carve plum flowers from carrots to prepare dinner in scorching pots and simmered dishes. Plum timber in Japan are among the many first to blossom within the new yr, showing late January to mid-March, relying on the area. The flowers bloom in wintertime when the climate could be very chilly and symbolize resilience, perseverance, and the promise of spring.
Why I Love Nejiri Ume (Carrot Flowers)
- Enhances presentation – Nejiri ume provides aptitude and an enthralling contact to my Japanese cooking, and I really like that it takes only a few minutes to make.
- Selected the newbie or superior technique – Punch carrot cash with a veggie cutter for easy flowers, or form the petals additional with a knife for a sublime 3D impact. You’ll rapidly grasp the superior technique with somewhat follow and endurance.
- Versatile for any event – These treasured flower carrots are a preferred addition to on a regular basis meals like bento or to celebratory dishes for osechi ryori (Japanese New Yr delicacies) and different particular feasts.
Sorts of Meals for Ornamental Flowers
- Carrots (massive) for crimson flowers
- Daikon for white flowers
Discover the printable tutorial with measurements beneath.
Key Kitchen Instruments
- vegetable cutter within the form of a plum blossom, which has rounded and easy petals. However, cherry blossoms have a notched or break up tip on every petal.
- sharp kitchen knife – I like to recommend a stable chef’s knife for this activity, I exploit a high-quality Nagomi Damascus Gyuto Chef Knife that you’ll find at JOC Items. You possibly can additionally use a nakiri knife (Japanese vegetable knife) for slicing veggies.
The best way to Minimize Carrots into Flower Shapes
Newbie Technique: Vegetable Cutter
- Slice cash and punch. Peel the carrot and lower it crosswise into rounds ¼ inch (6 mm) thick. Minimize out flower shapes with a vegetable cutter. Your easy flowers at the moment are prepared to make use of.
Superior Technique: Ornamental Knife Minimize
- Slice cash and punch. Peel the carrot and lower it crosswise into rounds ½ inch (1.2 cm) thick. Minimize out flower shapes with a vegetable cutter.
- Minimize slits and shave the petal. Use the tip of your knife to attain slits ⅛-inch (3-mm) deep between the petals, beginning on the edge the place the petals meet and ending within the heart of the flower. Place your knife blade down the center of a petal and lower diagonally towards the left (in case you’re right-handed) to the slit, shaving off a skinny wedge of carrot. Repeat with the opposite petals.
- Repeat with the opposite petals.
Nami’s Ideas
- Use massive carrots – To punch out the total flower form, be sure that the carrot’s circumference is barely larger than your vegetable cutter.
- Minimize the cash thick sufficient – In case you lower the rounds too skinny, you received’t have sufficient thickness to carve the petals on each side of the flower.
- Make the slit shallow – Rating between the petals simply ⅛-inch (3-mm) deep. That is simply one-quarter of the carrot coin’s whole thickness. Understand that you’ll carve the reverse-side petals as nicely, so that you don’t need to lower too deep.
- Shave diagonally towards the slit – Begin on the heart line of the petal, and shave off a really skinny wedge of carrot on simply the left aspect (in case you’re right-handed like me).
- Repurpose the carrot scraps – Don’t throw out the leftover bits—that’s mottainai (wasteful)! I mince the carrot scraps and add them to my Spaghetti Meat Sauce, Japanese Fried Rice with Edamame, or soups.
The best way to Use Carrot Flowers (Nejiri Ume)
Regularly Requested Questions
We sometimes make nejiri ume with carrots. You can even make daikon no nejiri ume utilizing daikon radish.
You possibly can lower an ornamental flower sample on shiitake mushroom caps with the distinctive Japanese slicing approach referred to as Shiitake Hanagiri.
Forestall your display from going darkish
-
Peel 1 carrot. Subsequent, you will want a vegetable cutter within the form of ume (a Japanese plum blossom). Plum blossom petals have a rounded and easy tip, whereas cherry blossom petals have a notched or break up tip.Nami’s Tip: Use a big carrot with a diameter equal to or barely bigger than your vegetable cutter. This ensures you get full, clear ornamental shapes each time.
-
For the newbie technique, slice the carrot crosswise into cash about ¼ inch (6 mm) thick—simply the suitable thickness for utilizing a vegetable cutter.For the superior technique, slice the carrot barely thicker, about ½ inch (1.2 cm). The additional thickness provides you extra depth to carve detailed flower shapes for Nejiri Ume.
Newbie Technique: Vegetable Cutter
Superior Technique: Ornamental Knife Minimize
-
Punch out plum flower shapes from the carrot slices utilizing a vegetable cutter. Then, utilizing the tip of a knife, lower small slits between every pair of petals to outline the form. Nami’s Tip: I make a ⅛-inch (3 mm) deep lower between the petals—beginning the place the petals meet on the edge and stopping on the heart of the flower.
-
Now, shave the petals to create a extra sensible flower form. Place your knife blade on the heart of a petal and angle it barely. In case you’re right-handed, lower diagonally towards the left, shaving a skinny wedge of carrot towards the slit you made earlier. Repeat with the opposite petals.
-
This additional carving step might sound tedious, but it surely actually brings the flower to life—good for festive shows and osechi plating.
To Use the Ornamental Flowers
Editor’s Observe: This publish was initially revealed on December 24, 2012. It was republished with extra useful info on June 29, 2025.
[ad_2]