Kudzu/Kuzu

[Guest guest]

I'm a little behind with email this week, so I apologize for the late

response. As PatH reported, kudzu (known as Kuzu in Japan), is

definitely a menace in the SE US. They brought it in after WW II from

Japan to help control ground erosion. It's a very rapidily growing

vine that is resistant to most killing agents. I guess it did help

with the erosion, but it grows inches a day, and kills everything in

it's path. There are, literally, buildings buried in kudzu. Lots of

urban legends abound about this plant.

 

Now, back to cooking. Kuzu is minimally processed in Japan to create

a starch, akin to cornstarch, arrowroot, and potato starch. However,

kuzu isn't as processed as the other starches, so is believed, in the

whole foods circle, as being superior. It is a thickening agent, and

can be found in most HFS. It can also be found along most roadsides

in Georgia, but that probably won't do the job you want it to. For

some reason, it is rarely harvested here and used. Too bad; we have

to import it from Japan as a food substance. Perhaps they are

different species, and what's taking over the SE isn't usable?

 

I have only used it once, and I can't comment on it's properties

compared to cornstarch and arrowroot. But I would love to see a

comparison.

 

I know there is at least one humorous cookbook written about domestic

kudzu, but I surely wouldn't eat it. :-)

 

I hope this answers the question.

 

Ellen