Make Ahead

Crunchy Burdock Salad

by:
October  4, 2022
4.3
3 Ratings
Crunchy Burdock Salad
  • Prep time 20 minutes
  • Cook time 5 minutes
  • Serves 4
Author Notes

This salad uses almost the same ingredients as Kinpira Gobo, a more famous dish, but with a sesame mayonnaise dressing. It is based on the salad at my local supermarket deli. —BoulderGalinTokyo

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • Burdock Salad Vegetables
  • 1 Burdock root, large, about 300 grams. See Note 1
  • 1 teaspoon vinegar
  • 1 carrot
  • 1/2 ear sweet corn, cut from the cob, cooked
  • 1/2 cup cabbage, thinnly sliced, cut in 1/2-inch pieces
  • 1 tablespoon white sesame seeds, half white/ half black OK
  • Miso Mayonnaise Dressing
  • 5 tablespoons mayonnaise, see Note 3 (I recommend Kewpie 50% )
  • 1 teaspoon honey or agave
  • 2 teaspoons blend or medium miso, (white is OK)
  • 1 teaspoon soy sauce, Lite Kikkoman recommended (opt. +1 teaspoon)
  • 1 tablespoon white sesame seeds or half black/half white
  • salt & pepper
Directions
  1. Scrub the burdock root with a vegetable brush, scratching a little of the surface peeling off. Prepare a bowl of 4 cups of water and add the vinegar. Cut the ends off and throw away (compost). Cut a section about 1 1/2 inch long, then slice in half the long way, cut into matchsticks. After cutting put in the water with vinegar. After cutting half the burdock, I change the water, adding vinegar again. Let soak about 10 minutes after cutting.
  2. Scrub the carrot and cut into matchsticks also. It doesn't have to go into the water with vinegar..
  3. Microwave or blanche the carrots in a spoon of water. Drain. But I like raw carrots.
  4. Cover the burdock in water and boil for about a minute, taste, if you feel the taste is too strong, boil a little longer, another minute. You don't want to boil the 'earthiness' away. Drain.
  5. Mix the Mayonnaise Dressing. I like to keep the sodium down so if you need more, you could add the soy sauce, but if your mayonnaise is too runny, then just use more salt.
  6. Put burdock, carrots, corn and cabbage (if using) in a large bowl. Add most of the dressing. Vegetables should be lightly dressed, add rest of dressing as needed. Cool in the refrigerator for an hour or two.
  7. Note* BURBOCK will probably be sold in the root section of the store or your farmer's market. It is usually fresher if you can find it covered with dirt like a potato. Or in the prepared veggie section, it might be washed, possibly cut in half (to shorten to fit into a sack) but with the peeling still attached. Or in some Asian markets you may find matchstick-cut goboh which is all ready to cook (it will be in a transparent sack with liquid in it).
  8. Note BURDOCK 2* I always used to peel the gobo but my chef friend showed me it wasn't necessary. If you are new to goboh or squirmish about the peeling, you can use a potato peeler, If you want really white goboh, trim the peeling down to the inner black circle (like a tree-ring). Also change the water once it turns dark, don't forget more vinegar.
  9. Note 3* MAYONNAISE--If making your favorite recipe, make it a little thinner than usual. If using a bottled mayonnaise, I like to add lemon juice or water to thin. American-style mayonnaise is very thick. Japanese Kewpie Mayonnaise (no thinning necessary) comes in different proportions of oil in the mayonnaise--50 is 50% oil is cut; 75% is cut even more. It is very delicious, try it and you may not go back...Great on BLT and Koreans like to eat it on French fries!
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4 Reviews

BoulderGalinTokyo
BoulderGalinTokyo July 17, 2012
Hi Savorthis, I don't know Domo, is it in Sakura Square? Last time I was, that whole area had really changed a lot.

I'm surprised you haven't tried cooking burdock. Your recipes have a nice Japanese flair. I wonder the name of your sweet pork stew?

The Japanese believe health is supported by eating 30 different foods a day in all 5 colors. I know my breakfast didn't have 10 different foods, so I like salads like this that combine different flavors and colors. I look forward to trying your Salmon Salad.
 
savorthis
savorthis July 17, 2012
Domo is across Colfax from Auraria campus/Tivoli etc. It is right on the light rail tracks in a totally random neighborhood but has a beautiful Japanese garden and dojo. If you are ever back this way you should go! As for Sakura, while I learned to eat my first sushi there when I was maybe 4 or 5, I have not known it to have anything worth visiting (except the grocery store) in many years. As for the stew, I am not sure. A search says Nikujaga...? That seems right. Brothy, sweet, potatoes, pork, carrots...

I have the Washoku cookbook by Andoh which talks a lot about meals with all the colors and I certainly try, but had no idea it should also be 30 different foods. Lord.
 
BoulderGalinTokyo
BoulderGalinTokyo July 20, 2012
Domo sounds like a real experience. Maybe this fall, if I'm lucky....

Nikujaga-- one of the first dishes I learned to prepare. It's the dish every bride learns to make before she becomes a wife. And then every section of the country has a slightly different version.

Don't panic , that's 30/day. not 30/meal. How do you like her cookbook?
 
savorthis
savorthis July 17, 2012
One of my favorite restaurants in Denver is Domo which is "country style" Japanese. You can order several small dishes of raw fish on rice and the whole table gets about 7 dishes to share. They almost always serve something similar to this which I love. That and the sweet pork stew. I have never cooked burdock but am eager to try it.