Burdock root soup

I first bought burdock root by accident because I thought it was wai san and wondered why it tasted so different. Eventually I found out from the vegetable seller that it is called burdock root and now it is one pf the vegetables that I love to use for slow cooked soups.

Burdock root is a slender, brown-skinned root vegetable that grows to more than two feet in length. It is often mistaken for wai san which is bigger in diameter. It has a sweet, mild, and pungent but slightly muddy flavour. Burdock root is rich in nutrients such as proteins, vitamins A, C, B1, E, K and folate, dietary fibre and minerals like iron, calcium, magnesium, potassium and phosphorus. In traditional herbal remedies it is used to enhance blood circulation, prevent high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, cerebrovascular disease and cancer and also to prevent constipation and abdominal flatulence. TCM practitioners combine burdock root with other herbs to treat measles, tonsillitis, colds and sore throat. It is applied to the skin to treat skin diseases such as psoriasis, acne, eczema and burns. Burdock root oil is used to strengthen and beautify hair by improving scalp circulation, combat hair loss and dandruff. However, it can cause allergic reaction in some people and pregnant women should also avoid burdock root as it may cause uterine stimulation. Burdock has been associated with poisonings because some products have been contaminated with a chemical called atropine. 

Ingredients

1 burdock root (it is very long so had to cut it smaller to fit into the frame)

Pork ribs

Burdock root discolour easily so cut immediately before cooking

Peel the skin and cut into big chunks

Put the bones with boiling water into the slow cooker

Add the burdock root and cook on high for 2 hours

Burdock root need longer cooking time

Add the yuk chuk, dates, kei chi and cook on low for another 4 hours

Dish up and serve when it is ready.