Kudzu powder, called ''géfěn'' () in Chinese, ''kuzuko'' (; ) in

Japanese Japanese may refer to: * Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia * Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan * Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture ** Japanese diaspor ...

, ''chik-garu'' () or ''galbun'' (; ) in

Korean Korean may refer to: People and culture * Koreans, ethnic group originating in the Korean Peninsula * Korean cuisine * Korean culture * Korean language **Korean alphabet, known as Hangul or Chosŏn'gŭl **Korean dialects and the Jeju language ** ...

, and ''bột sắn dây'' in Vietnamese is a

starch Starch or amylum is a polymeric carbohydrate consisting of numerous glucose units joined by glycosidic bonds. This polysaccharide is produced by most green plants for energy storage. Worldwide, it is the most common carbohydrate in human die ...

powder made from the root of the

kudzu Kudzu (; also called Japanese arrowroot or Chinese arrowroot) is a group of climbing, coiling, and trailing deciduous perennial vines native to much of East Asia, Southeast Asia, and some Pacific islands, but invasive in many parts of the wor ...

plant. It is used in traditional

East Asian cuisine This is a list of Asian cuisines, by region. A cuisine is a characteristic style of cooking practices and traditions, usually associated with a specific culture or region. Asia, being the largest, most populous and culturally diverse continent, ...

mainly for thickening sauces and making various types of desserts. Kudzu-kiri by yajico in Kyoto

Examples of dishes that use ''kuzuko'': * ankake (liquid stock thickened with kuzuko) * goma- dofu (kuzuko pudding with

sesame Sesame ( or ; ''Sesamum indicum'') is a flowering plant in the genus ''Sesamum'', also called benne. Numerous wild relatives occur in Africa and a smaller number in India. It is widely naturalized in tropical regions around the world and is cul ...

paste) Examples of

wagashi are traditional Japanese confections that are often served with green tea, especially the types made of ''mochi'', ''anko'' ( azuki bean paste), and fruit. ''Wagashi'' are typically made from plant-based ingredients. History In Japan, the wo ...

(Japanese desserts) with kuzuko: * kuzukiri (clear cake of boiled kuzuko cut into noodle-like strips and eaten with

kuromitsu is a Japanese sugar syrup. It is similar to molasses, but thinner and milder. It is typically made from unrefined (muscovado sugar), and is a central ingredient in many Japanese sweets. It is one of the ingredients used in making , and is eate ...

) * kuzuzakura (a.k.a. kuzu-dama, a cake of bean paste covered with kuzuko) * Mizu

manjū is a traditional Japanese confection. Of the many varieties of manjū, most have an outside made from flour, rice powder, kudzu, and buckwheat, and a filling of ''anko'' (red bean paste), usually made from boiled adzuki beans and sugar. ''Man ...

(

red bean paste Red bean paste () or red bean jam, also called adzuki bean paste or ''anko'' (a Japanese word), is a paste made of red beans (also called "adzuki beans"), used in East Asian cuisine. The paste is prepared by boiling the beans, then mashing or ...

is coated with translucent kuzuko paste that is then allowed to set into a jelly-like consistency) Examples of

Tong sui ''Tong sui'' (; ), also known as ''tim tong'', is a collective term for any sweet, warm soup or custard served as a dessert at the end of a meal in Cantonese cuisine. ''Tong sui'' are a Cantonese specialty and many varieties are rarely foun ...

(Chinese desserts usually in soup form) * Got Fan soup

References

Chinese cuisine Japanese cuisine Korean cuisine {{Korea-cuisine-stub