たたきごぼう

たたきごぼう
noun
pounded burdock (New Year dish)
foodculture
1. pounded burdock root dressed with sesame
A New Year dish of burdock root that is boiled, lightly pounded to split it, cut into short lengths, and dressed with ground sesame and vinegar. One of the three celebratory dishes of 関西(かんさい)-style おせち料理(りょうり).
たたきごぼう(つく)った
I made tataki-gobo.
Tataki-gobo is indispensable in our New Year food.
In the Kansai region, many households prepare the three dishes of black beans, herring roe, and tataki-gobo.

Written たたきごぼう or (たた)きごぼう. From (たた) (to strike) plus ごぼう (burdock root): the boiled root is tapped with a pestle so that it splits and takes up the dressing.

Cultural note

Burdock grows straight and deep, so the dish stands for a family taking firm root and prospering. In 関西(かんさい) it is one of the three celebratory dishes (()(ざかな)) served at New Year, alongside 黒豆(くろまめ) and (かず)(); in 関東(かんとう) its place is taken by 田作(たづく).

Common collocations

  • たたきごぼう(つく): to make tataki-gobo
  • ごま()たたきごぼう: tataki-gobo dressed with sesame
  • おせちたたきごぼう: the tataki-gobo in the New Year food