Burdock is a root vegetable that is easily found in the wild and is a cultivated vegetable in Japan. Besides its culinary uses, it is also used in traditional Chinese medicine, and it’s sticky seeds became an inspiration for a new, breakthrough technology – Velcro.
The roots of young burdock plants are used in cooking , since it becomes overly fibrous when grown too large. Look for burdock roots that are firm and are between 18 – 24 inches in length and about 3/4 to 1 inch in diameter. The burdock pictured above was grown organically from a small producer, Harmony Valley, in Wisconsin.
Burdock has a crunchy texture and an earthy, nutty flavor. Its thin skin can be removed with a light scrubbing or scraping. It is rich in phenolic (anti-oxidants) compounds and will easily turn grayish-brown when sliced. To prevent this, place freshly cut burcok in cold water with a little vinegar or lemon juice.
Burdock is most famously used in Kinpira – a dish of sliced carrots and burdcok simmered in dashi, soy sauce and mirin. It also found in soups, braised dishes (e.g. chicken and vegetables) and mixed with rice.
ferdinand guanzon
i already eat Burdock, harvest from China, is this kind of Burdock really nutritious?
benjamin
Not sure where you live, but burdock is quite easy to grow in the midwest (you can even forage for it). I find this burdock to be better than the stuff imported from china, that stuff doesn’t seem to fresh.