Discover ways to lower carrots into flower shapes for stunning Japanese meals presentation. From easy veggie cutter methods 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 sizzling pot dishes for each celebratory events and on a regular basis house cooking. At the moment, I’ll present you each newbie and superior strategies for Methods to Minimize Carrots into Flower Shapes—particularly, iconic Japanese plum blossoms often known as Nejiri Ume (ねじり梅). It’s really straightforward to do with just a little apply, and also you’ll love how they improve your meals presentation!
See how I take advantage of 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 cook dinner in sizzling 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 a captivating contact to my Japanese cooking, and I really like that it takes just some 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 chic 3D impact. You’ll shortly grasp the superior technique with just a little apply and endurance.
- Versatile for any event – These valuable flower carrots are a preferred addition to on a regular basis meals like bento or to celebratory dishes for osechi ryori (Japanese New 12 months delicacies) and different particular feasts.
Kinds 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. Alternatively, cherry blossoms have a notched or cut up tip on every petal.
- sharp kitchen knife – I like to recommend a stable chef’s knife for this activity, I take advantage of a high-quality Nagomi Damascus Gyuto Chef Knife that yow will discover at JOC Items. You would additionally use a nakiri knife (Japanese vegetable knife) for slicing veggies.
Methods to Minimize Carrots into Flower Shapes
Newbie Methodology: 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 Methodology: 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 middle of the flower. Place your knife blade down the center of a petal and lower diagonally towards the left (for those who’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 Suggestions
- Use massive carrots – To punch out the complete flower form, be certain that the carrot’s circumference is barely larger than your vegetable cutter.
- Minimize the cash thick sufficient – Should 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. Needless to say you’ll carve the reverse-side petals as nicely, so that you don’t wish to lower too deep.
- Shave diagonally towards the slit – Begin on the middle line of the petal, and shave off a really skinny wedge of carrot on simply the left aspect (for those who’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.
Methods to Use Carrot Flowers (Nejiri Ume)
Continuously Requested Questions
We usually make nejiri ume with carrots. You may as well make daikon no nejiri ume utilizing daikon radish.
You may lower an ornamental flower sample on shiitake mushroom caps with the distinctive Japanese slicing approach known as Shiitake Hanagiri.
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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 cut 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.
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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 Methodology: Vegetable Cutter
Superior Methodology: Ornamental Knife Minimize
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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 middle of the flower.
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Now, shave the petals to create a extra lifelike flower form. Place your knife blade on the middle of a petal and angle it barely. Should 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.
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This further carving step may appear tedious, nevertheless it actually brings the flower to life—excellent for festive displays and osechi plating.
To Use the Ornamental Flowers
Editor’s Word: This put up was initially printed on December 24, 2012. It was republished with extra useful data on June 29, 2025.
