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Kinpira Gobo (Braised Burdock Root)
5 from 10 votes

Kinpira Gobo (Braised Burdock Root)

Kinpira Gobo is a Japanese side dish featuring thinly julienned burdock root and carrot, stir-fried in toasted sesame oil with dried chili pepper, then braised in a flavorful mixture of tsuyu sauce, sake, soy sauce, sesame seeds, mirin, and brown sugar until tender and glossy. The resulting dish has a slightly sweet, savory, and nutty taste with a pleasant bite from the root vegetables and a gentle heat from the chili.

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
20 mins
Servings: 5 portions
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Japanese

Ingredients

  • 200 g burdock root gobo
  • 100 g carrot
  • 1 dried red chili pepper optional
  • 1 tbsp tsuyu sauce see how to make your own tsuyu sauce here
  • 1 tbsp sake
  • ½ tsp chicken bouillon powder or plant-based alternative, Chinese-style, granules
  • 1 tbsp light brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil toasted
  • 1 ½ tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp mirin
  • 1 tbsp white sesame seeds

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Wash 200 g burdock root (gobo) thoroughly and scrape off the skin using the back of a knife.
  2. Cut the burdock root into thin diagonal slices and then each slice into thin strips (julienne). They should be about 5cm long and 3-4mm thick.
  3. Soak the julienned burdock root in a bowl of cold water for 5 minutes.
  4. Peel and julienne 100 g carrot, the pieces should be the same size as the gobo. Then deseed 1 dried red chili pepper and thinly slice. 
  5. In a small bowl, mix the 1 tbsp tsuyu sauce, 1 tbsp sake, ½ tsp Chinese-style chicken bouillon powder (granules) and 1 tbsp light brown sugar until completely dissolved. Set aside for later.
  6. Heat a pan on medium-high and drizzle in 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil. Add the dry chili to the pan and fry until fragrant.
  7. Add the carrot and burdock root and fry for a few minutes until slightly softened.
  8. Pour in the bowl of sauce from earlier and turn the heat up to high. Fry until the liquid is reduced completely.
  9. Add 1 ½ tbsp soy sauce and fry until reduced.
  10. Finally add 1 tbsp mirin and stir fry everything together until all the sauce has completely reduced/absorbed into the ingredients.
  11. Turn off the heat, add 1 tbsp white sesame seeds and mix well.
  12. Serve and enjoy!

Notes

  • Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator; use within 3-4 days for best flavor.
  • Kinpira Gobo can be frozen in individual portions for up to 1 month; defrost at room temperature or in the fridge before reheating.
  • For quick thawing, microwave portions for 30 seconds at 500W.