Stems and bulbs
Dried Negi (Japanese Long Onion)Diagonal Slices and Rings: Drying Time and Storage
Negi, the Japanese long onion, is an essential garnish in Japanese cooking. It looks like a thick leek or scallion. Outside Japan, look for it at Asian grocery stores; thick scallions or leeks are the closest substitutes.
Drying tames its sharp bite and makes it sweeter. With a stock on hand, you can toss it straight into miso soup, ramen or hot pot, saving time in the kitchen.
| Drying time | Storage | |
|---|---|---|
| Dry | 2–4 days | 3 weeks at room temperature (fridge in humid summer) |
| Semi-dried | Half a day–1 day | 5 days in the fridge |
Drying times assume drying during the day in sunny weather and bringing them in at night.
How to dry negi
- Wash: Peel off one damaged outer layer, rinse, and pat dry well.
- Cut: Slice on the diagonal into pieces about 4 cm (1½ in) long, or into rings about 1 cm (⅜ in) thick.
- Lay out and dry: Spread on a basket without overlapping, somewhere sunny and breezy. Bring in by evening.
- Separate the layers to speed it up: Once partly dry, pull apart the outer layers and the core and spread them out, and the inside dries much faster.
Where and when to dry is covered in How to Dry Vegetables, and tools in Tools for Drying Vegetables.
When it’s done
Dry (2–4 days)
It’s done when the pieces have shrunk thin, the white part looks almost translucent, and they snap when pinched. The inner layers dry last, so pull them apart to check.
Semi-dried (half a day–1 day)
The surface is dry and the pieces are limp. Grilled or stir-fried, their sweetness stands out.
Day by day
Before drying
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Storage
- Dry: Put completely dry negi in a bag or airtight container with a desiccant, and keep somewhere cool and out of direct sun for about 3 weeks. In humid summer weather, keep it in the fridge.
- Semi-dried: Keep in a bag in the fridge and use within about 5 days.
- Frozen: Both dry and semi-dried can be frozen for 1–2 months.
Fuzzy white or green growth, black spots or a bad smell are signs of mold or spoilage. Don’t eat it; throw it away. More in How to Store Dried Vegetables.
How to use it
- Use it dry: Add straight to miso soup, ramen, udon, hot pot and soups at the end. It softens right away.
- In stir-fries: Add it dry to fried rice, yakisoba and stir-fries.
- Pan-fried: Quickly fry dry diagonal slices in sesame oil and add a few drops of soy sauce for a toasty snack.
