Kuzu is a small plant of the legume family, whose root is a starch extracted which is very useful in cooking to thicken all types of dishes. It also includes nutritional and medicinal properties that are very interesting. It is known as a food-medicine which is used in both China and Japan and now in other countries to treat various diseases.

The Kuzu is used in cooking sauces, desserts (pies, custards, creams, fillings, etc), casseroles, cream, baby food (jams) for children, etc. It is tasteless gluten, so it is recommended in diets for celiacs. A spoonful of root powder dissolved in water previously is used to give a smooth gelatinous texture to foods mentioned above; it is an excellent thickener for drinks, soups, mashed, pureed, stuffed food, etc.

Here are some recipes for you to enjoy this nutritious food.

Vanilla and apple pie

Ingredients for the dough:

• 125 gr. of whole wheat flour
• 50 gr. of unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons of brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons of water

For the filling:

• A ½ cup of oat drink (approx. 400 ml)
• 2 tablespoons of brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons of agar-agar flakes
• 2 heaped teaspoons of Kuzu
• Half vanilla pod
• 4 or 5 apples
• Unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon of brown sugar and lemon

Instructions:

1. Mix all dough ingredients, the butter should be at room temperature and must knead until well integrated into a ball with all the ingredients of the dough and then put in the fridge for half an hour.
2. While the dough is cooling, peel and cut apples into thick slices (about 6 slices per apple). Put some butter in a pan and add the apples, cook over low heat.
3. While cooking the apples, roll out the dough on a floured surface and spread with a roller, place in a special mold or glass, greased with a little butter.
4. Prick the dough with a fork and introduce it in the oven at 180 º C, until browned and done.
5. Prepare the filling by heating oatmeal drink, with the slightly open vanilla pod and agar-agar flakes.
6. When hot, add the previously diluted kuzu in a little drink of oats and sugar and cook everything together, stirring continuously until thickened. When thickened, remove from the heat and remove the vanilla pod. The cream can be lightly beat with a mixer if there is any undissolved flake.
7. As the tart dough is already made and should be cool outside the oven, put the cream of vanilla and kuzu. This cream cannot cool in the pan, you should take when it is still hot or warm.
8. Cool the cake with the filling and finished preparing the apples. When the apples are almost done, add a tablespoon of brown sugar and a squeeze of lemon and finish cooking. Put over the kuzu and leave to cool in the fridge for a couple of hours and it’s ready to eat.

Kuzu drink for children

(to treat stomach or intestinal problems such as heartburn, constipation, diarrhea, nausea, indigestion, etc.).

Ingredients:

• 1 teaspoon of kuzu
• I cup of fresh apple juice

Procedure:

1. Heat the apple juice and dilute the kuzu. Give children a hot cup or two a day.

Cream of vegetable and kuzu

Ingredients:

• 1 slice of pumpkin boiled in its skins
• 1 cup of potato
• 1 cup of steamed carrots
• 1 cup of steamed chayote
• 1 vegetable stock cube
• 3 tablespoons of powdered milk
• 1 liter of water in which vegetables are boiled
• 5 cloves of garlic
• Half a teaspoon of curry
• 2 tablespoons of butter
• Pinch of salt
• A teaspoon of kuzu diluted with a cup of hot water

Preparation:

1. First, mix the vegetables with the water and the rest of the ingredients except the butter, blend.
2. When the mixture is consistency, take it back to the heat and add the butter and kuzu, stirring until a smooth cream, then serve it hot.

Kuzu and pumpkin custard

Ingredients:

• 750 ml of oat drink
• 3 to 6 tablespoons of sugar cane
• 1 teaspoon of agar-agar
• 1 tablespoon of kuzu
• 400 grams of roasted pumpkin
• Cinnamon and 1 / 2 vanilla pod.

Procedure:

1. First, roast half pumpkin in the oven at 180 º C and when it is tender and cooked. Usually takes about an hour.
2. You can also cook pumpkin with a little water, but while this process is much faster, the difference with the roast is great.
3. When the pumpkin is browned, reserve, and put oats drink in a saucepan and heat over medium heat with the agar-agar (stirring), sugar and vanilla pod. Once hot, add the dissolved kuzu in some oat drink and cook it all together for about three minutes over medium-low.
4. Remove the piece of vanilla and grind this mixture with the roasted squash meat until you get a slightly thick liquid and very "fine."
5. Put the custard into ramekins and sprinkle with a little cinnamon. Introduce in the fridge, when they are cooled and after three hours, they are ready for eating.

Chocolate and Kuzu pudding without milk

Ingredients:

• 1 / 2 liter of oat drink
• 1 tablespoon of pure cocoa powder
• 2 tablespoons of sugar cane
• 2 teaspoons of agar-agar flakes
• 2 teaspoons of kuzu
• Optional: organic soy whipped cream (100% vegetable)

Procedure:

1. Dissolve the kuzu in a little oat drink and reserve. Do the same with the cocoa.
2. Heat the oat drink with agar-agar flakes.
3. Before it boils, add sugar, cocoa and dissolved kuzu.
4. Boil in medium heat, stirring continuously.
5. When the mixture has thickened slightly, put away from heat, beat around with the mixer and split the mixture into cups or custard cups.
6. When they are cool, get into the fridge for a couple of hours and will be ready to eat.
7. Serve with soy whipped cream.

Eastern white rice with kuzu

Ingredients:

• 2 / 3 cup of organic white rice
• 1 1/4 of cup water
• 3 eggs
• Sesame oil cold pressed
• Salt
• Sauce: half a cup of vegetable broth, ginger, a tablespoon of shiro miso, a teaspoon of kudzu.

Preparation:

1. Put in a small saucepan the water and rice and bring to a boil.
2. We lower the heat and cover it. When the water is absorbed from the fire and let it covered for 5-10 minutes depending on the type of rice that we used.
3. While resting or rice finishes cooking prepare the sauce.
4. You have to heat the vegetable broth and when it starts to boil, add the dissolved kuzu in a little water and a little ginger. Cook all together for 2 minutes over medium-low heat.
5. Remove from heat and add the shiro-miso. Stir until completely dissolved.
6. Beat eggs, season lightly and make an omelet with a little sesame oil.
7. Break the omelet with a wooden spatula.
8. Put the rice in a dish, a few spoonfuls of sauce, chopped tortilla and a little more sauce.
9. It is a very healthy and healing dish. Recipe is very typical of Tokyo that is sold in the depachikas.