Disclaimer: This post may contain Amazon affiliate links. Sudachi earns a small percentage from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.See disclaimer for more info.
Featured Comment:
“I made this today and it was delicious! Thank you 🙂 Great for meal prep.”
– Ming
Jump to
What is Kinpira Gobo?
Kinpira Gobo (きんぴらごぼう) is a traditional and well-loved Japanese side dish made with finely cut burdock root that has been stir-fried and then simmered in a sweet and savory sauce.
Other hardy root vegetables, such as lotus roots and carrots, are often added, too. We sometimes even add chili to give the dish a spicy kick!
You’ll often see this humble dish in Japanese homes because it’s quick and easy to make. It’s versatile and can be eaten with Japanese-style breakfast, teishoku lunch or dinner. We often put it in bento boxes, too!
How I Developed This Recipe
Kinpira Gobo is a staple of Japanese home cooking, beloved for its delightful crunch and savory-sweet flavor.
When I set out to develop this recipe, my goal was to capture the essence of Kinpira Gobo as it’s enjoyed in a typical Japanese household. I wanted to create a dish that would evoke the same comfort and nostalgia that comes with each bite in a Japanese home.
This Kinpira Gobo recipe is versatile and serves as a perfect side dish to complement a variety of main dishes. I encourage you to try making it yourself and experience the simple yet profound joy of authentic Japanese home cooking!
Ingredients & Substitution Ideas
- Burdock root (gobo) – It is recommended to choose burdocks covered with soil, as they will last longer if the soil is still attached. It is also advisable to choose burdocks with few whiskers and some thickness all the way to the tips as much as possible, and avoid those that are soft and bendy.
- Carrot – Adds color and sweetness to the dish. Medium-sized carrots will be suitable for this recipe.
- Dry chili pepper – It is recommended for those who want a tangy and spicy taste but can be omitted for those who do not.
- Chicken bouillon powder – Preferably Chinese-style chicken soup stock powder. I personally use Yuki Garasupu.
- Tsuyu sauce – If you want to know how to make tsuyu sauce from scratch at home, you can check out mytsuyu sauce recipe, you can also buy store-bought one like Kikkoman’s.
- Sake – Adds umami to the sauce. If you want to know more about sake for cooking, please check out my “20 Most Useful Condiments and Seasonings for Japanese Cooking” article.
- Light brown sugar – Light brown sugar gives a richer flavor, but white sugar is also fine.
- Sesame oil – Adds a hint of nutty flavor. I recommend classic Kadoya’s pure sesame oil.
- Soy sauce – The key condiment for flavor, adds saltiness and umami.
- Mirin – For sweetness and depth. I recommend Hinode’s Hon Mirin.
- White sesame seeds – This is to garnish at the end.
Curious about the exact brands and products that bring my recipes to life? Discover the brands and ingredients behind my recipes at the Sudachi Amazon Storefront. Explore my handpicked pantry essentials and find your next kitchen favorites!
Jump to Full Recipe Measurements
Visual Walkthrough & Tips
Here are my step-by-step instructions for how to make Kinpira Gobo at home. For ingredient quantities and simplified instructions, scroll down for the Printable Recipe Card below.
STEP
Scrape the gobo
Wash the gobo with clean running water to remove the soil, and then scrape off the skin using the back of a knife.
Tip
The skin of burdock root is very thin, so to avoid taking away too much of the actual vegetable, it’s better to use the back of a knife (rather than the blade or a peeler) to scrape it off.
STEP
Cut and soak the gobo
Cut the burdock root into thin diagonal slices to increase the surface area, then julienne each slice (thin strips).
Transfer the julienned gobo to a bowl of cold water and allow it to soak for 5 minutes. This will remove some of the bitterness and help prevent discoloration.
STEP
Prepare the other ingredients
Peel and julienne the carrot so that it’s the same size as the burdock root, and if you’re using chili, deseed and thinly slice it.
STEP
Make kinpira sauce
Mix the chicken bouillon powder, tsuyu sauce, sake, and light brown sugar in a small bowl and set aside for later.
STEP
Flavor the oil
Heat a pan on medium and add sesame oil. Once hot, add the sliced chili and fry until fragrant.
STEP
Stir fry the vegetables
Add the burdock root and carrot to the pan and stir fry for a few minutes or until slightly softened.
STEP
Add the sauces
Pour the mixed sauce from earlier and turn up the heat to high. Fry until the liquid has reduced completely.
Once the liquid is gone, add the soy sauce and continue to stir fry until completely reduced.
Finally, add the mirin and stir fry until no liquid is left in the pan.
STEP
Garnish
Once the liquid is completely reduced and absorbed into the vegetables, sprinkle with sesame seeds and mix.
STEP
Serve
Transfer the kinpira gobo to a serving dish and enjoy!
Jump to Full Recipe Measurements
Tips & Tricks
- Wash the burdock root thoroughly to remove the soil. This prevents dirt from touching the inside when you cut it.
- Scrape with the back of a knife to remove the skin. Since burdock skin is very thin, using a peeler or knife blade will waste a considerable amount of the actual vegetable.
- Julienne the ingredients to keep the cooking time quick.
- Soak the burdock for about 5 minutes in fresh, cold water; this removes the harshness and some of the bitterness.
- Flavor the oil with chili to spread the chili’s heat and flavor evenly through the dish. Alternatively, you can cook with chili oil or chili-infused sesame oil.
- Add soy sauce and mirin separately near the end of cooking, improving the overall flavor and preventing the soy sauce from burning.
How to Store
Kinpira gobo is a great dish to prepare in advance and use for various meals over a few days. Just keep it in an airtight container in the fridge and eat within 3-4 days.
Since it’s quick and easy to make, I don’t tend to freeze kinpira gobo. Freezing is possible, but the taste and texture will deteriorate quickly so it’s recommended to divide it into single portions, wrap and store them in an air-tight container to prevent freezer burn and consume within 1 month.
To defrost kinpira gobo, defrost at room temperature for 1 hour or in the fridge overnight. Alternatively, heat each portion in the microwave at 500W for about 30 seconds.
FAQ
What is Gobo?
Gobo (ごぼう) is a long root vegetable known as “burdock root” in English. It’s a biennial plant of the Asteraceae family native to temperate zones of Europe and Asia. Interestingly, it is not native to Japan and is considered to have come from China long ago.
Another interesting fact is that even though gobo can be found in various places around the world and is often used for tea and medicine, Japan is the only country that uses it as a vegetable in cooking.
What is kinpira?
Kinpira (金平) is a cooking technique where the vegetables are julienned, stir-fried, and then simmered in a sauce consisting of mainly sugar, mirin, and soy sauce.
Although kinpira gobo is the most popular, technically, any ingredient cooked this way can be called “kinpira”.
What is The Origin of Kinpira Gobo?
Japanese dishes are usually given names that hint at their history or origin. However, the name “kinpira” doesn’t give anything away. I couldn’t begin to guess where it comes from without researching it.
The word “kinpira” comes from an old sub-genre of Japanese puppet theatre called “Kinpira Joruri.” These kinds of plays were popular in the early Edo period (1600s), and the genre itself was named after a popular protagonist in one of the plays called Sakata no Kinpira (坂田金平).
Kinpira Sakata was depicted as a very strong and brave figure, and the name “Kinpira Gobo” is said to be born from the fact that the crunchy texture of burdock root and the strong spiciness of chili peppers can be compared to the strength of Kinpira no Sakata. It might sound a bit farfetched, but this is by far the most promising answer to the origins of Kinpira Gobo’s name.
Also, burdock is considered an energizing food with many health benefits. For this reason, it was believed that if you eat kinpira gobo, you can become strong like Kinpira Sakata.
What does burdock taste like?
Burdock tastes uniquely earthy, a bit like artichoke or parsnip. It’s crunchy, slightly sweet, and a little nutty. Imagine biting into a refreshing root vegetable with a sweet finish – that’s more or less burdock!
I hope you enjoy this Kinpira Gobo recipe! If you try it out, I’d really appreciate it if you could spare a moment to let me know what you thought by giving a review and star rating in the comments below. It’s also helpful to share any adjustments you made to the recipe with our other readers.Thank you!
More Japanese Side Recipes
- Japanese Potato Salad(Izakaya Style)
- Japanese Hijiki Seaweed Salad(Hijiki no Nimono)
- Japanese Sesame Spinach Salad(Horenso no Goma-ae)
- Tako to Kyuri no Sunomono(Octopus and Cucumber Salad)
Kinpira Gobo (Braised Burdock Root)
5 from 2 votes
By Yuto Omura
Kinpira gobo is a quick and easy side dish and a staple in Japanese homes. Made with burdock root and carrots in a sweet and savory sauce, this crunchy side is nutritious and delicious! Perfect to serve with Japanese meals and put in bento boxes!
Prep Time10 minutes mins
Cook Time10 minutes mins
Total Time20 minutes mins
Course Bento, Side Dish
Cuisine Japanese
Servings 5 portions
Prep Time: 10 minutes mins
Cook Time: 10 minutes mins
Total Time: 20 minutes mins
Course: Bento, Side Dish
Cuisine: Japanese
Servings: 5 portions
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Recipe
Print Pin Save
Ingredients
- 200 g burdock root(s)
- 100 g carrot(s)
- 1 dried red chili pepper optional
- 1 tbsp tsuyu sauce see how to make your own tsuyu sauce here
- 1 tbsp sake
- ½ tsp Chinese-style chicken bouillon powder or plant-based alternative
- 1 tbsp light brown sugar
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 ½ tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp mirin
- 1 tbsp white sesame seeds
Instructions
Wash 200 g burdock root(s) thoroughly and scrape off the skin using the back of a knife.
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.
Soak the julienned burdock root in a bowl of cold water for 5 minutes.
Peel and julienne 100 g carrot(s), the pieces should be the same size as the gobo. Then deseed 1 dried red chili pepper and thinly slice.
In a small bowl, mix the 1 tbsp tsuyu sauce, 1 tbsp sake, ½ tsp Chinese-style chicken bouillon powder and 1 tbsp light brown sugar until completely dissolved. Set aside for later.
Heat a pan on medium-high and drizzle in 1 tbsp sesame oil.Add the dry chili to the pan and fry until fragrant.
Add the carrot and burdock root and fry for a few minutes until slightly softened.
Pour in the bowl of sauce from earlier and turn the heat up to high. Fry until the liquid is reduced completely.
Add 1 ½ tbsp soy sauce and fry until reduced.
Finally add 1 tbsp mirin and stir fry everything together until all the sauce has completely reduced/absorbed into the ingredients.
Turn off the heat, add 1 tbsp white sesame seeds and mix well.
Serve and enjoy!
Video
Keyword braised burdock root, burdock recipe, burdock root recipe, gobo, how to cook burdock root, how to cook kinpira gobo, how to make kinpira gobo, Japanese side dish, Japanese side dish recipes, kinpira gobo, kinpira gobo recipe, kinpira gobou, what is kinpira gobo
Notes
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator and use within 3-4 days.
Alternatively, you can freeze it in individual portions for up to 1 month and defrost at room temperature for 1 hour or in the fridge overnight. To defrost quickly, microwave each portion for 30 seconds at 500W.
Tried this recipe?Tag @sudachi.recipes and hashtag it #sudachirecipes
