Mugwort Herb

Mugwort is the dried herb of Artemisia vulgaris, a hardy perennial with deeply lobed, silver-green leaves and a subtle, sage-like aroma. The flavour is herbal and mildly bitter with earthy undertones.

It is native to Europe, Asia and North Africa, and has held a place in culinary practice and herbal tradition for centuries.

Dried mugwort smells grassy, herbal and gently sage-like, with a bitter edge that softens in cooking. The leaves are cut and silvery-green, and the herb is sold under many names, including yomogi in Japanese and ssuk in Korean. It is traditionally used in incense bundles, sachets and herbal crafts as well as in the kitchen.

How to use it

In East Asian cooking, mugwort is the signature ingredient in Korean ssuk tteok and Japanese kusa mochi, giving the rice cakes a vivid green colour and a slightly bitter, aromatic note. In Europe it was used to season roasted meats, poultry and fatty dishes, and it is still the traditional herb for roast goose in Germany, where the bitterness works as a counterpoint to richness. Steeped, it makes a fragrant herbal tea with an earthy character. Use a light hand: the bitterness builds quickly.

Details

Also known as

Mugwort, Cronewort, Felon Herb, Moxa, Old Man, Muggons, Saint John's Plant
Japanese: よもぎ (Yomogi)
Korean: 쑥 (Ssuk)
Chinese: 艾草 (Ài cǎo)
French: Armoise
German: Beifuß
Hindi: नागदौन (Nagdaun)