Hokkaido Lily Bulbs (Yurine) 北海道百合根

Description

ゆりね

Lily bulbs or yurine (百合根, ゆりね) are the edible bulbs of the lily plant. It can be eaten raw, stir-fried, deep-fried (like tempura), simmered, or added to sweets or soups. It is a starchy vegetable commonly used in high-end Kyoto cuisine (京料理) and osechi ryori. The raw petals are crisp with a crunchy texture and have a mild, refreshing flavor, similar to water chestnuts. Cooked lily bulbs taste sweet with a slightly bitter aftertaste, similar to turnips and potatoes.

Yurine it’s an expensive and time-consuming crop that takes six years to grow and then is left to mature for two to three months. Hokkaido in northern Japan produces the majority of the lily bulbs in Japan.