Gobo (burdock root) and carrots are a classic combo. When cooked together, it becomes Kinpira Gobo, a popular Japanese side dish. This dish is on the menu at Hawaii restaurants, homes, and in bentos! Savory, sweet, and tasty.
Gobo = burdock root
Have you had gobo before? These are super long, brown roots that sit near the potatoes and carrots at the market. You can find them at all Japanese markets (like Nijiya, Marukai, and Mitsuwa), and many local supermarkets (Times, Foodland, etc). When selecting gobo, look for the more slender pieces because the thicker ones can sometimes be too tough / too fibrous.
There are endless ways to cook gobo and kinpira gobo is one of the more popular recipes. It's a good "intro to gobo" if this is your first time cooking or eating it. I'll post more gobo recipes in the coming weeks. Gobo in soup, gobo with beef, gobo cooked with rice...many good ways ^_^
Ingredients
Here's what you'll need:
- Gobo (burdock root)
- Carrot
- Sesame oil
- Dashi powder - Can sub with chicken broth.
- Mirin
- Soy sauce
- Sesame seeds
Instructions
Let's get cooking:
Prepare the gobo.
Wash and pat dry. Use a knife to gently remove the thin outer skin layer (don't use a vegetable peeler because that will remove too much of the gobo).
Cut the gobo into thin slices on the diagonal. Then cut each slice into thin strips. Soak the gobo strips in a large bowl of water for 10 minutes. This will help keep the gobo from browning too quickly.
Prepare the carrot.
While the gobo is soaking, peel and cut the carrot into thin strips. Aim to get the carrots the same size as the gobo. Set aside.
Drain the gobo, then give it a gentle rinse under water. Drain again.
Start cooking the gobo.
Add the sesame oil to a large pan over medium heat. Then add the gobo and saute for 3 minutes.
Add dashi.
Mix the dashi powder with ½ cup of water in a small bowl. Pour it over the gobo and let cook on low heat for 5 minutes (you can add more water if needed). This step is to help soften the gobo.
Add the carrots.
Bring the heat back up to medium, then add the carrots and saute for another 5 minutes. Season with the mirin and soy sauce.
Finish cooking.
Saute for 2-3 minutes until everything is well mixed and the gobo and carrots are nice and tender. Add the sesame seeds, give it a good mix, and the dish is ready to eat!
Best hot and fresh, with a good bowl of rice. Also tasty at room temperature and works well as a side dish for lunch bentos ^_^
FAQ / Tips
No problem. For this recipe, we mix dashi powder with water to make instant dashi. If you don't have dashi powder, you can replace it with chicken broth or vegetable broth. Or chicken bouillon powder and water.
Kinpira Gobo is supposed to be mainly gobo with some carrots...think 75% gobo and 25% carrots. But I like to use the entire carrot when cooking (otherwise I forget about the half and never end up using it).
This recipe is fairly forgiving and if you end up using more or less gobo or carrot, that is totally fine. The main thing is that you're getting lots veggies and in a very tasty way!
...you may need to cook it longer. Two options:
- Boil sliced gobo in water for 3-5 minutes before you start cooking with it.
- Or simmer the for a few extra minutes in the dashi (see Step 6 in the recipe below).
Kinpira Gobo Recipe
Kinpira Gobo
Ingredients
- 1 stick gobo (burdock root)
- 1 small carrot
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- ½ teaspoon dashi powder
- 1 tablespoon mirin
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
Instructions
- Prepare the gobo. Wash and pat dry. Use a knife to gently remove the thin outer skin layer (don't use a vegetable peeler because that will remove too much of the gobo).
- Cut the gobo into thin slices on the diagonal. Then cut each slice into thin strips. Soak the gobo strips in a large bowl of water for 10 minutes. This will help keep the gobo from browning too quickly.
- While the gobo is soaking, peel and cut the carrot into thin strips. Aim to get the carrots the same size as the gobo. Set aside.
- Drain the gobo, then give it a gentle rinse under water. Drain again.
- Add the sesame oil to a large pan over medium heat. Then add the gobo and saute for 3 minutes.
- Mix the dashi powder with ½ cup of water in a small bowl. Pour it over the gobo and let cook on low heat for 5 minutes (add more water if needed). This step is to help soften the gobo.
- Bring the heat back up to medium, then add the carrots and saute for another 5 minutes. Season with the mirin and soy sauce.
- Saute for 2-3 minutes until everything is well mixed and the gobo and carrots are nice and tender. Add the sesame seeds, give it a good mix, and the dish is ready to eat!
- Best hot and fresh, with a good bowl of rice ^_^
Mahalo for Reading!