Classic “Kinpira Goboh” with a twist: Japanese Braised Burdock Root/ メインディッシュ級！きんぴらごぼう

What is “Kinpira goboh” ?

Kinpira goboh is a classic Japanese dish made with sautéed and simmered burdock root. It is commonly served in small portions as part of a teishoku (set meal), alongside other sides such as ohitashi (blanched greens in soy-based broth) or pickled vegetables.

While typically a humble side dish, this version is upgraded to a more substantial offering by adding chicken and konnyaku, making it hearty enough to stand as a main on a casual dinner table.

I found Chinese-grown burdock at NTUC (Singapore’s national supermarket). While Japanese burdock can be quite expensive abroad—sometimes ten times the price in Japan—it’s exciting to experiment with what’s available locally.

Visual Guide to the Recipe

Ingredient list & Steps in Text

Ingredients

• Burdock root (goboh)
• Carrot
• Chicken thigh (chopped)
• Konnyaku (optional)
• Roasted sesame seeds
• Light soy sauce
• Sesame oil
• Sake and mirin (optional)
• Sugar
• Dried red chili

Instructions

• Slice burdock root thinly and soak in water to remove bitterness. Slice carrots to match.
• Dry-roast white sesame seeds. Cut chicken into bite-size pieces. Parboil konnyaku and slice thinly.
• In a frying pan, dry-cook konnyaku until surface is slightly firm. Add sesame oil, red chili, and chicken. Once chicken is half cooked, add burdock and carrot. Stir-fry until softened.
• Season with sake, sugar, mirin, and light soy sauce. Adjust sweetness to taste. Finish with roasted sesame seeds.
• Serve warm with bowls of Japanese rice.

きんぴらごぼう。鶏肉とこんにゃくを加えて、主菜風に！

シンガポールの生協的なお店で突如中国産のごぼう的なもの（”ごばう😂”..？）を見つけ、きんぴらごぼうチャンレジです。笑
こんにゃく＆鶏肉で少しメインディッシュに昇格です。

結果として、明治屋等で一本2000円くらいするごぼうと、こちらのローカルマーケットで購入できる200円程のごぼうとでは、香りが大分違いました。
一方、食感としては十分同じだったので、味付け等によっては工夫できそうです。

関連して、きんぴらごぼう、江戸時代に流行した人形劇の物語にルーツあるそうです。主人公の坂田金平は怪力で勇敢な人物であり、そこに由来して、ごぼうの歯ごたえや精がつくところ、また唐辛子の強い辛さが、坂田金平の強さに通じるそう。