How to Prepare Kanpyō: 4 Ways to Enjoy Dried Gourd Strips

Kanpyō (or kampyō) are dried shavings of calabash gourd, a type of gourd also known as fukube or yugao. Kanpyō has been consumed in Japan since the Edo period (1603–1867) and was widely grown in the Osaka region before production was centralized in Tochigi Prefecture, north of Tokyo. Cooks can incorporate the gourd strips into sushi, salads, and donburi (rice bowls), or use them as edible ties to hold different ingredients together, like cabbage rolls, stuffed kombu, or more ornamental presentations like konbu maki.

Dried kanpyō gourd strips, which you can find prepackaged in Asian grocery stores, are rich in dietary fiber, calcium, and potassium.

Like other gourds and squash, kanpyō has a mild sweetness, though cooks may use seasonings like soy sauce, sugar, or mirin, which mask its natural flavors.

Kanpyō’s main appeal is its spongy, chewy, snappy texture, which provides an interesting contrast when wrapped in sushi rice or added to soups.

Here are some ways to enjoy kanpyō:

1. 1. Aemono: Seasoned kanpyō is an easy and popular kind of aemono, a category of marinated side dishes and single-ingredient salads served with a thick dressing.
2. 2. In maki rolls: Kanpyō is a common ingredient in sushi rolls, either on its own in a basic nori-wrapped kanpyō roll (kanpyō-maki, or teppo maki) or presentations like futomaki—a large, multicolored sushi roll. Some cooks use strips of kanpyō to tie rolls of konbu maki, a scroll of kombu kelp stuffed with salmon often featured in boxes of osechi ryori, traditional Japanese dishes packaged in decorative boxes for New Year celebrations.
3. 3. Nimono: Nimono, or gently simmered dishes, are an excellent way to highlight the texture of warm kanpyō, which is a bit like a soft noodle.
   
4. 4. Rice bowls: Kanpyō is a popular topping for chirashi sushi, a celebratory sushi dish served with various bright garnishes.

Before adding kanpyō to your favorite Japanese recipes, you’ll need to rehydrate the strips, which you can do by soaking them in a bowl of cold water for 20 minutes or boiling them.

To rehydrate the kanpyō on the stovetop, bring a large pot of water to a boil and prepare an ice bath. Next, place the dried strips in a colander and rinse, then season them with a pinch of kosher salt.

Use your fingers to work the salt through the kanpyō, then rinse before adding them to the pot of boiling water. Cook for about five minutes, then transfer the strips to the ice bath to stop the cooking process. When the strips are cool, drain them well and season according to your recipe.

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