Minari (Water Dropwort)
๋ฏธ๋๋ฆฌmi-na-ri
Crisp, peppery Korean water parsley
Minari (Oenanthe javanica), called water dropwort or water parsley in English, grows in wet fields and along streams. Its hollow stems are crisp and its flavor is fresh, peppery and celery-like.
- Korean name
- ๋ฏธ๋๋ฆฌ (mi-na-ri)
- What it is
- Crisp, peppery Korean water parsley
- Storage
- Wrap in a damp paper towel and refrigerate in a bag; use within three to five days.
- Substitute
- Watercress, Chinese celery, or a mix of celery leaves and flat-leaf parsley.
- Recipes
- Used in 54 recipes on coo K food
Flavor and season
Minari is at its best from late winter to spring, when the stems are tender and fragrant. It grows vigorously almost anywhere it is planted, which is why it became a symbol of resilience โ and the title of the 2020 film Minari.
How it is used
Minari is piled onto spicy fish stew (maeuntang), braised seafood (haemul-jjim) and hot pots at the end of cooking, where its freshness cuts through rich, fishy flavors. It is dressed as a salad (minari-muchim), fried into pancakes, and blanched stalks are used as edible ties around bundles of vegetables and meat (minari-ganghoe). In this collection it even becomes a pesto.
Cleaning it
Because it grows in water, minari needs careful washing. Trim the roots and any yellow leaves, soak it in water with a splash of vinegar for about ten minutes, then rinse several times under running water.
๐ง How to store it
Wrap in a damp paper towel and refrigerate in a bag; use within three to five days.
๐ Substitutes
Watercress, Chinese celery, or a mix of celery leaves and flat-leaf parsley.
๐ Where to buy
This is a fresh ingredient, so it is best bought in person at a Korean or pan-Asian grocery store such as H Mart, or through an online Asian grocer that delivers fresh produce in your area. Look for it under its Korean name, ๋ฏธ๋๋ฆฌ (minari).
