Kinpira Gobo (Sweet and Spicy Braised Burdock)
Cuisine: Japanese
Region: 日本各地
Servings: 3〜4人分
Kinpira Gobo (Sweet and Spicy Braised Burdock) is a home-style vegetable dish. Ingredients and step-by-step instructions are below, with notes for home cooking.
Ingredients
- Burdock root 1 (150 g)
- Carrot 1/3 (50 g)
- Dried red chili 1/2
- Sesame oil 1 tbsp
- Sake 1 tbsp
- Sugar 1 tbsp
- Mirin 1 tbsp
- Soy sauce 1 1/2 tbsp
- Toasted white sesame seeds 2 tsp
Steps
- Scrub the burdock with a brush to wash off the dirt (no need to peel). Cut into 5 cm lengths, slice thinly lengthwise, then cut into thin matchsticks. Soak in water for 5 minutes, drain in a sieve and shake off the water well.
- Cut the carrot into matchsticks about the same size as the burdock. Seed the red chili and slice it into thin rings.
- Put the sesame oil and chili in a frying pan over medium heat. When fragrant, add the burdock and stir-fry for about 3 minutes. When the burdock turns translucent, add the carrot and stir-fry for 1 more minute.
- Add the sake and sugar and toss to combine, then add the mirin and soy sauce.
- Stir-fry for 2–3 minutes until almost no liquid remains and everything is glossy.
- Turn off the heat, sprinkle with the sesame seeds, toss briefly and serve.
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Notes
The aroma and flavor of burdock lie just under the skin, so do not peel it; just scrub it with a brush.
Soaking it too long in water washes out the flavor. About 5 minutes is enough.
Adding the sugar before the soy sauce helps the flavor soak in and gives a nice gloss.
It keeps 4–5 days in the refrigerator. Lotus root, konnyaku or beef are also tasty additions.
Origin and history
Kinpira gobo is shredded burdock and carrot stir-fried in oil, then braised with sugar and soy sauce until sweet and salty, with a kick of chili.
The name is said to come from Sakata no Kinpira, the hero of a popular joruri puppet play of the Edo period. Kinpira was a mighty strongman, portrayed as the son of Sakata no Kintoki (Kintaro), who served Minamoto no Yorimitsu. The crunch of burdock and the sharp heat of chili reminded people of the strong, tough Kinpira, which is how the dish got its name.
Eating burdock is rare worldwide and is one of Japan's distinctive food traditions. Because it keeps well and is handy for bento, it is still a beloved standard side dish in Japanese homes.