Konjac

Konjac (Japanese: 蒟蒻; konnyaku; ), also known as konjak, konjaku, devil's tongue, voodoo lily, snake palm, or elephant yam (although this name is also used for A. paeoniifolius), is a plant in the genus Amorphophallus grown in China and Japan for its large starchy corm, used to create a flour and gel of the same name. It may also be used as a vegan substitute for gelatin.

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In Japanese cuisine, konnyaku appears in dishes such as oden. It is typically mottled grey in appearance and gelatinous in consistency; its taste is bland and nondescript, the common seaweed variety tasting vaguely like the sea. It is a low calorie food valued more for its texture than flavor.

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Japanese konnyaku gel is made by mixing konnyaku flour with water and limewater. Hijiki is often added to add dark color and characteristic flavor to the mix. It is then boiled and solidified. Konnyaku made in noodle form is called shirataki, appearing in foods such as sukiyaki and gyudon.

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Konjac is also used in a popular fruit gel snack, served in bite-sized plastic cups. The snacks are often imported from Asian countries. Recently, there has been some concern about the risk of choking from these snacks, and subsequent recalls in the U.S. and Canada. Unlike gelatin, konjac gel does not dissolve readily in the mouth. Thus the snacks typically have warning labels advising parents to ensure their children chew them thoroughly before swallowing.

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The dried corm of the konjac plant contains around 40% glucomannan gum. This polysaccharide makes konjac gel highly viscous.

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In the Japanese comic Doraemon, the character Nobita eats Honyaku-Konnyaku (procured from Doraemon's four-dimensional belly pouch) which allows him to understand and speak any language.

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Japanese: When used as an adjective, Japanese refers to anything that originates from Japan. It may refer to more than one article:...

Amorphophallus: See text...

China: :This article is about Chinese civilization. For the modern-day state commonly referred to as "China", see People's Republic of China. For other meanings, see China (disambiguation)....