Barafu
A few nights ago, I was invited to a lovely Japanese foodie event held at Daniel Bouley’s testing kitchen. Being a vegetarian, the inventive food — including sea urchin, pork on a base of roe, and a ‘vegetarian’ asparagus dish with caviar — was unfortunately all lost on me. However, the gift bag, containing a small package of Barafu was most intriguing. Barafu, aka ice plant, looks like a small aloe plant, with many translucent beads covering the surface.
It is native to the deserts of South Africa. However, the Japanese are cultivating it in Saga Prefecture and will soon be exporting the vegetable to the US. It is already available in France and Japan for around $80 for a small package. Declared edible in 2006, it has a slight salty flavor due to the dew-like beads that store salt, and it appears to have many different uses, from blended Barafu drinks, to cakes, candies and salads. I’m not sure what the health benefits are, but it’s one of the most interesting vegetables I’ve laid eyes on.
Tagged: Japan, Japanese food
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