Beef Roll with Burdock Root
Summer crop burdock root is being introduced to the market now. It is soft in texture and has a more refreshing aroma than its winter counterpart. Misako-sensei takes advantage of the features of the summer crop burdock root, to make Beef Roll with Burdock Root, a standard dish in Japan. The earthy flavor of burdock root goes very well with beef, and it’s accentuated with a soy sauce based, sweet glaze in this dish. It can be either a main dish or an appetizer, but it’s also good for a bento box. Rich in fiber, minerals, Vitamin B and E, burdock root has a laxative effect as well as helps purify the body and eliminate toxins or waste (like in the kidneys, liver, colon, etc) and improve overall health. Enjoy the tasty natural remedy of burdock root.
[Ingredients] (for 2 people)
- 10 inch long burdock root
- 4-8 slices thinly sliced beef (beef for “sukiyaki” works the best)
- 1-2 tbsp sesame oil
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp mirin
- 2 tbsp sake
[Directions]
1. Under running water, roughly rub off the skin of burdock either using the back of a knife or brush. (Don’t take off all the skin since it is packed with flavor)
2. Cut the root lengthwise in quarters and then cut into 2-inch sticks. Let them soak in water for a few minutes.
3. Blanch the burdock root for 5 minutes, drain and let cool down.
4. Spread beef slices out and place a few burdock roots on one side.
5. Roll the beef tightly keeping the seam side down.
6. Heat the pan and pour in some sesame oil to coat the bottom. Place the rolled beef seam side down.
7. After a grill mark is formed, rotate and sear all sides.
8. Add soy sauce, mirin and sake into the pan and let them cook together until all the liquid is gone.
9. Cut the beef roll in half diagonally and serve.
Featured Ingredient: Mirin
Mirin is one of the most important seasonings in Japanese cooking. It contains 40-50% sugar and about 14% alcohol and is good for glazing, adding sweetness and preventing ingredients from crumbling while simmering. Due to the amount of alcohol content, mirin is sold in stores with a liquor license. However, there are several similar types of seasonings that are sold at regular grocery stores without a license. Such products include “mirin style seasoning” that contains less than 1% alcohol and is sweetened with starch syrup and other ingredients.
Misako Sassa Japanese cooking instructor/food consultant
Misako teaches authentic Japanese cooking, focusing on simple, delicious, and healthy home-style cooking using seasonal and local ingredients.
Website: Japaneseculinarystudionyc.com
Cooking video: ny1page.com
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