land seaweed; Salsola komarovii; saltwort
An edible annual plant of the amaranth family, often called 'land seaweed' in English due to its resemblance to seaweed. Commonly used in Japanese cuisine, especially in salads and as a garnish.
Okahijiki is delicious when quickly boiled and served as ohitashi.
Lately, I've started seeing okahijiki in supermarkets.
Katakana spelling, often used in botanical or culinary contexts.
Ateji kanji spelling; rarely used in practice. The plant name is almost always written in kana.
The name おかひじき literally means 'land hijiki', referring to its resemblance to the seaweed hijiki (鹿尾菜). The kanji 陸鹿尾菜 is an ateji spelling that directly reflects this meaning, but it is rarely used.