KUZU ROOTS

Organic Kuzu Root Starch is a versatile thickener that dissolves quickly in any cold liquid and has no perceptible taste. It is very low in calories, contains no fat and is an easily digestible source of complex carbohydrates—only 8 grams per serving. Kuzu binds more strongly than arrowroot. Kuzu is handcrafted, natural, and uniquely nourishing.Organically certified, wild roots are hand harvested from December to March when the sap gathers in the root, carried down from the mountains on backpacks and cleaned. Each root is hand-cut into chunks that are crushed into fibers, soaked and rinsed, creating a thick paste. The paste is repeatedly washed and filtered in cold mountain spring water until it becomes a pure white starch. The kuzu starch is then allowed to dry naturally for 90 days, crushed into small chunks and packed.



The kuzu (Pueraia lobata) plant is a prolific, tough, fibrous vine with heart-shaped leaves that was used as a food in China for more than 2,000 years, and praised in Japanese poetry and legend as a bracing health food and ideal thickener for over one thousand years. Its roots are among the largest in the world, ranging in length from three to seven feet and weighing between 200 to over 400 pounds. Traditionally the leaves, seeds, flowers and roots were used in making vegetable dishes, noodles, dumplings, beverages, desserts and pickles. The vines were used to weave baskets and in making clothing, fishing line, and paper.Organic Kuzu Root Starch can be used to thicken soups and stews, sauces and gravies. Use it to prepare delicious vegetable dishes such as Lo Mein, Chow Mein, sweet and sour vegetables, and glazed vegetables. Great for puddings, pie fillings, custards, and many desserts.



Chef Adria of el bulli has this interesting recipe of crispy oil chips, where he uses this kuzu starch to make almond oil chips, this starch has no taste at all and spreading any oil on chips gives oil an extra surface area which helps oils to release more flavour and aroma..

RECIPE crunchy kuzu chips
Ingredients 
- 250 g (8.8 oz) water- 25 g (0.88 oz) sugar- 20 g Kuzu- 20 g olive oil or your favorite oil (white truffle oil or almond oil are great too)- 25 g salt

Preparation

• In a small pot, heat the water, sugar and kuzu over medium heat stirring constantly until it starts boiling. Let it boil for 30 seconds and remove from heat.
• Pass the mix through a fine sieve and pour it into a decorating bag.
• Wait for 2 minutes to let it cool down.
•  Place stencil over Teflon or silicone mat. It is helpful to stick it with scotch tape to the countertop to keep it in place.
• Pour some mix on the mat and spread it with an offset spatula creating a thin layer of about 0.3 cm.
• Remove the stencil and place the mat in the dehydrator for 6 hours at 50 °C (122 °F).
•  Carefully remove the chips from the mat and flip them. Dehydrate for 18 hours at 50 °C (122 °F). The chip edges tend to bend upwards but to prevent this you can cover them with another silicone mat. The mat weight will keep them flat.
•  Once the olive oil chips are dry and crunchy, store them in a sealed container in a dry and cool place.
• With a small brush, coat the crunchy kuzu chips with your favourate oil of choice.