KitchenNippon

＜Ingredients＞ 5 servings
Burdock root (ごぼう / Goboh) 100g
Carrots (にんじん / Ninjin) 50g
Chicken fillet (ささみ / Sasami) 1
Sake (酒 / Sake) 1tsp
Ground sesame (すり胡麻 / Suri goma) 1tbsp
Mayonnaise (マヨネーズ / Mahyonehzu) 2tbsp
Whole-grain mustard (粒マスタード / Tsubu masutahdo) 2tsp
Light soy sauce (薄口しょうゆ / Usukuchi shoyu) 1tsp
Mizuna (水菜 / Mizuna) 50g (1 bunch)

＜How to Make＞
① Cut the burdock root into thin strips and soak in water. Cut the carrot into thin strips of the same size. Place the strips of burdock root and carrot into boiling water for about 1 minute. Remove and drain. The burdock root and carrot strips should be cooked but still firm. Wash and drain the mizuna, then into 2cm (little longer than 3/4 in.) lengths.
② Sprinkle sake onto the chicken fillet, enclose the fillet in plastic wrap and microwave for 1 minute. Once the fillet cools, shred it into fine strips, and set aside
③ Add the ground sesame, mustard, and mayonnaise to a bowl and mix. Add the burdock root, carrots, and shredded fillet, and mix well.

Burdock Root
The burdock plant, Arctium lappa, is native to the Eurasian continent. The root of the burdock plant is harvested in winter. The burdock plant has been cultivated in Japan since the Jomon era (14,000BC – 300BC), but did not become eaten widely in Japan until the Edo period (1603-1868). The skin of the burdock root is the main source of the burdock root’s aroma, so in preparing it wash the root well to remove all the dirt, but do not skin it. Burdock root can, however, be rather bitter, so it should be soaked in water or water with a little vinegar added to get rid of this bitterness. Burdock root is often eaten as tempura, kinpira, and in stewed or simmered dishes.

Recipe Developed by: Machiko Tateno