Amorphophallus konjac is a perennial perennial herb of the genus Amorphophallus konjac, native to China and Southeast Asia. Villagers in southwestern provinces such as Yunnan, Guizhou, and Sichuan have the habit of making and eating konjac since ancient times – konjac roasted duck, spicy fried konjac, etc.

Konjac is not produced in Japan, where the deliciousness of konjac is maximized. However, as early as the Jomon period, Japan introduced konjac from the Korean Peninsula, and it was not until the early 17th century (Edo period) that Japan introduced konjac from China on a large scale.

For a long time, the cultivation and manufacturing technology of konjac was monopolized by some feudal lords. Later, due to the maturity and breakthrough of planting and production techniques, as well as the promotion of Japanese officials, in the Taisho era, konjac gradually changed from a health-preserving medicinal material exclusively favored by monks and aristocrats to a common snack on the streets.

The ground part of konjac, the tall and upright “stem” with piebald, is actually their petiole. In fact, the stem of konjac is buried in the ground, which is oblate and succulent. This is their edible part. However, to cultivate into tubers that can be processed and eaten, it often takes 3-4 years of waiting time.

Since konjac is not cold-resistant, the leaves on the ground will decay in autumn. At this time, if the underground tubers are dug out, it can be seen that there are some small rhizomes on the top, and these rhizomes are carefully broken off, and they can be used for vegetative propagation. For expansion of seedlings. Then dry the tubers for a few days, store them in the warehouse, and wait until the early summer of next year to plant them again. In this way, year after year, about the fourth year, high-quality tubers can be excavated and processed into delicious konjac shreds. .

Konjac is delicious, but the hand-made process is a bit laborious. Generally, the tubers are ground into pulp, washed with water, and then added with lye such as plant ash to set them. Since konjac contains calcium oxalate needle crystals, direct contact with mucous membranes or wounds will cause burning pain and swelling. If you handle tubers with bare hands, it will also be stimulated, like needles and itching.

Unlike other tubers and root crops, konjac tubers contain very little starch, and the main component is konjac glucomannan, also known as “konjac mannan”. This ingredient is barely digested in the human gut and also promotes bowel movements, so low carb konjac noodles is a good choice when calorie intake needs to be restricted.