Burdock Root/ Gobo Soup 牛蒡汤
The first time I tried Burdock Root or Gobo (牛蒡) was a salad in a Japanese restaurant in Taiwan. The Gobo was sliced so razor-thin and fine (thinner than matchsticks!) and the salad was really refreshing good as appetizer.
Though I usually see Burdock Root/Gobo in the Asian supermarkets here in California, I never have the urge to buy and cook it.
Until I saw the Burdock Root Soup from Little Corner of Mine and Food-4tots, I decided that maybe I can try making a soup, a vegetarian soup. In Chinese food therapy, burdock root helps to reduce heat in the body. Thus it is beneficial in the warming temperature trend, spring to summer.
Personally I do not like the texture of burdock root as it was rather fibrous. Perhaps the quality of burdock root was sub-par in this supermarket or I did not cook it long enough.
One distinctive characteristic that I wish to highlight is the smell of ginseng when boiling the burdock root in this soup. Burdock root or Gobo is regarded as "Oriental Ginseng" for a reason - not only the smell but the nutrients and benefits too.
