Practice JLPTMeaning
蒟蒻 (こんにゃく, Kon'nyaku) is Konjac — a Japanese food (plants, vegetables).
What is Konjac?
Konnyaku refers to the konjac plant, Amorphophallus konjac. The food made from the corm of this plant is widely known in English by its Japanese name, konnyaku (yam cake), being cooked and consumed primarily in Japan. The two basic types of cake are white and black. The corm of the konjac is often colloquially referred to as a yam, though it is not related to that family of tubers. Konnyaku is mainly used for soups and pots such as rice, simmered foods, miso soup, and pork broth. In addition, it is used as a raw material of mishida-raku[?] with a skewer. It is typically mottled grey and firmer in consistency than most gelatins. It has very little taste; the common variety tastes vaguely like salt, usually with a slightly oceanic taste and smell (from the seaweed powder added to it, though some forms omit the seaweed). It is valued more for its texture than flavor. Ito-konnyaku (糸蒟蒻) is a type of Japanese food consisting of konjac cut into noodle-like strips. It is usually sold in plastic bags with accompanying water. It is often used in sukiyaki and oden . The name literally means "thread-konjac". Japanese konnyaku is made by mixing konjac flour with water and limewater. Hijiki is often added for the characteristic dark color and flavor. Without additives for color, konjac is pale white. It is then boiled and cooled to solidify. Konjac made in noodle form is called shirataki and used in foods such as sukiyaki and gyūdon .