arrowhead (edible corm); Sagittaria trifolia var. edulis
Refers to the edible corm of the threeleaf arrowhead plant, a traditional vegetable in Japanese cuisine, especially eaten during New Year's celebrations.
Arrowhead corms are often included in New Year's dishes.
Simmered arrowhead corms have a pleasant, floury texture.
Usually written in katakana; the kanji form 慈姑 is rare.
Hiragana spelling, also common.
Kanji form, rarely used in modern writing.
The Japanese name くわい is derived from the Chinese name for the plant. The kanji 慈姑 are ateji.