Japan
Hanbagu
Juicy beef-and-pork patties on shiso with a ketchup-Worcestershire sauce
40 min·4 servings
burdock root (gobo)
The long, slender root of the greater burdock, with brown skin and white flesh, earthy, faintly sweet and fibrous-crisp.
Gobo is the taproot of the greater burdock, often more than half a metre long and barely thicker than a thumb, with thin brown skin and pale, firm flesh. It tastes distinctly earthy and somewhat sweet, and it stays firm and fibrous even after long cooking, which suits it to braises, stir-fries and soups. Because the flavour sits just beneath the skin, it is scraped lightly with the back of a knife rather than peeled. Cut flesh browns quickly, so the pieces are briefly placed in cold water. Fresh or frozen gobo is sold in Asian grocery stores, and occasionally at organic markets or by mail order.
Substitute:
Salsify comes closest in shape and bite but is milder and less fibrous; parsnip matches the sweetness but softens more and loses the earthiness. There is no equivalent substitute, and the dish turns gentler and less robust with either.
Used in · 1 recipe