Ohitashi is a traditional Japanese cooking method where vegetables are briefly soaked in a seasoning liquid made from soy sauce, miso, mirin, and other ingredients to let the flavors infuse. The name "Ohitashi" comes from the verb "浸す" (hitasu), which means "to soak" or "to immerse."

This cooking method is simple yet enhances the natural flavors of the ingredients. Commonly used ingredients for ohitashi include spinach, mizuna, chives, burdock root, daikon, and mushrooms. These vegetables are quickly blanched and then soaked in the seasoning liquid to absorb the flavors. Spinach ohitashi is particularly popular and is a common side dish in Japanese households.

The seasoning liquid for ohitashi is made from soy sauce, miso, mirin, and dashi, with optional additions of bonito flakes or sesame seeds to enhance the flavor. This seasoning liquid blends well with the ingredients, adding umami and enhancing the color of the vegetables.

Ohitashi is beloved as a basic side dish in Japanese home cooking because it can bring out deep flavors with a simple method, and it offers an easy way to consume healthy vegetables.