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Dessert
Asian
4 servings
20 minutes
20 minutes
¼ cup water spring or filtered
1 tablespoon ginger root, fine matchstick-size pieces
1 cup brown rice syrup
2 tablespoons mirin (optional)
1 teaspoon Kuzu, dissolved in 1 tablespoon cold water (see note below)
1 lemon, grated zest and juiced
4 Asian pears
4 sprigs mint for garnish
Combine water and ginger, and simmer 5 minutes. Add rice syrup, mirin (if using), and lemon zest. Cover and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, to develop the flavors. Stir in kuzu mixture, and cook, stirring, until syrup thickens slightly. Stir in lemon juice.
Slice each Asian pear into thin rounds. Arrange slices on individual plates and spoon hot syrup over the top. Garnish with mint sprigs and serve immediately.
Kuzu or kudzu is a high-quality starch made from the root of the kuzu plant. Native to the mountains of Japan, and now in the southern United States, kuzu grows like a vine with tough roots. Used primarily as a thickener, it is reputed to strengthen the digestive tract.
