By Ippoh Tempura Bar by Ginza Ippoh

Keep it simple at home with a delicious and healthful Kinpira Gobo. This traditional Japanese dish of braised burdock root is easy to prepare and enjoy. Have it with a bowl of freshly steamed rice, miso soup and side dishes of your choice. Homey, slightly sweet and crunchy, and very easy to polish off.

Good for 4

INGREDIENTS
150g burdock root
50g carrot
1 chilli padi, finely chopped
25g white sugar
15ml mirin
15ml Japanese cooking sake
30ml Kikkoman soy sauce
Roasted sesame seeds
Vegetable oil

METHOD
1. Scrape the skin off the burdock roots with a peeler. Rinse in cold water and cut into 4cm-long strips. Keep in a bowl of cold water.
2. Peel the carrots and cut them into thin strips, similar to the burdock.
3. In a bowl, mix the sugar, mirin, sake and soy sauce together, and set aside.
4. In a frying pan over high heat, add 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil. Fry the burdock for a few minutes and add in the carrots.
5. Add the chilli padi and sauce before bringing it down to medium heat. Fry until all the liquid has evaporated.
6. Turn off the heat and sprinkle with roasted sesame seeds.

Itadakimasu!