Burdook Root Side Dish or “Ueong Muchim” is a unique banchan. Most non-Korean people don’t usually know or hear about it, but when cooked right, it’s tasty and I recommend everyone should try it at least once! Additionally, it has a lot of medicinal benefits!
What is Burdock Root?
Burdock root is a root vegetable also known as “U-eong” in Korean. It is known to have antioxidants that help aid in inflammation. It’s also known to help digestion and gut health. The taste of burdock root is chewy and nutty but so good!
This is commonly turned into a soy braised side dish, or jorim, which means something simmered until it absorbs the sauce. Once it is cooked, you can eat it as it is or add it to your kimbap!
FUN FACT: Did you know that burdock burrs (seeds) were actually the inspiration for inventing Velcro?? Pretty cool huh??
Two Different Cuts of Burdock Root
You can cut burdock root in two different ways. They both give a different texture when you chew so try both ways and see which you like best!
This is a very easy side dish to prepare. Peel the burdock, then wash and chop it into your desired cut. Remember that this will brown fast so soak it in water mixed with vinegar until ready to cook.
Now in your pan, saute the burdock in a bit of oil for 3 minutes. Add soy sauce, cooking wine, garlic, brown sugar, and plum extract. Mix this thoroughly so all those salty, sweet, tangy, and fresh flavors get infused.
Add dashi stock or water to help soften the ueong and let it simmer until reduced. The dashi stock will make this taste even better so I recommend using that if you have one!
Once all the liquid has been absorbed, add corn syrup or brown sugar, sesame oil, and sesame seeds, then saute for another 2 minutes. This will make the banchan glossy, even sweeter, and more savory masking all the bitterness. Serve this along with your meals. It keeps for 5-7 days and it does not need to be reheated when served. Enjoy!
Other Korean side dishes you might like:
- Water Kimchi
- Radish Kimchi
- Spicy Radish Salad
- Spicy Cucumber Salad
- Korean Rolled Omelette
- Korean Steamed Egg
Make sure to leave a rating, a comment, or tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Tiktok when you chop them up! Yeobosayo!
Soy Braised Burdock Root
Ingredients
- 300 grams Burdock Peeled and sliced to desired shapre
- 3 cups Water
- 1 tbsp Vinegar
- 2 tbsp Oil
- 4 tbsp Soy Sauce
- 1 tbsp Korean Cooking Wine
- 1/2 tbsp Garlic Minced
- 2 tbsp Brown Sugar
- 1 tbsp Plum Extract Optional
- 1 cup Dashi Stock or Water
- 1 tbsp Corn Syrup or Brown Sugar
- 1 tbsp Sesame Oil
- 1 tbsp Sesame Seeds
Instructions
- Peel, wash, and chop the burdock into your desired shape.
- Soak it in water and vinegar to prevent discoloration for about 10 minutes. Drain if ready to cook.
- On high heat, add oil and burdock. Saute it for 3 minutes.
- Add soy sauce, cooking wine, garlic, brown sugar, and plum extract, and cook for another minute or two. Mix thoroughly to distribute the sauce.
- Add dashi stock or water and let it simmer until reduced.
- Once the liquid is absorbed by the burdock, add corn syrup or brown sugar, sesame oil, and sesame seeds. Mix thoroughly
- Cook for another 2 minutes and enjoy!
I’ve always wanted to experience global cuisines and now you made it so easy!
Hi Chef!
I’m pretty much a 2nd gen. Korean-American in my mid 20s that is disconnected from the Korean community and many of my relatives who reside back in the motherland. My mother passed away a couple years ago and much of the cooking knowledge she had wasn’t passed down to me. Making banchan makes me feel like I am reconnecting with her and my culture. Thank you for your recipe!
I adjusted the corn syrup to about 1.5x more and would reduce the amount of soy sauce next time since it was bit…salty… *gasp* to me. Personally, I think this is to my liking and doesn’t change how good the recipe is!
Whats up Ji-Yeon, i’m sorry to hear about your mom.. but i’m glad the korean recipes help you reconnect with her and the culture. Thanks always for your support!
Second time making it in a week – it’s that good! Thanks Chef!!
So glad you enjoyed them!!!
How long will it last in the fridge?
5-7 days~
Ayy, I’m trying to veganize this recipe and wanted your opinion on if I should just sub water or use a kombu soup stock instead of dashi to keep with the oceanic umami flavors. Thanks!
Definitely use kombu soup stock! I use that sometimes too!