Amorphophallus konjac, commonly known as juruo (Chinese: 蒟蒻; pinyin: jǔruò), konnyaku or konjac, or moyu (Chinese: 魔芋; pinyin: móyù), is a species of flowering plant in the family Araceae. In English, it is also referred to as devil's tongue, voodoo lily, snake palm, or elephant yam. Native to China and cultivated in East and Southeast Asia, the perennial species forms a corm, the stem of which produces a purplish flower. Food made from the corm is known as konnyaku in Japanese – which can be made into white or black cake, as well as a kind of noodle called shirataki – or as the Chinese 魔芋 móyù, a term that also refers to the plant itself. Moyu was first domesticated in Southwest China about 2000 years ago, where Yi people and other early cultivators developed methods to detoxify the naturally irritating corm through repeated boiling and the use of alkaline ash water. These techniques enabled the plant to transition from a toxic wild tuber to a fiber-rich food source, and they form the basis of the traditional processing methods still used in parts of China today.
Description It is a perennial plant, growing from a large corm up to 25 cm (10 in) in diameter. The single leaf is up to 1.3 m (4 ft) across, bipinnate, and divided into numerous leaflets. The flowers are produced on a spathe enclosed by a dark purple spadix up to 55 cm (22 in) long. It is a relative of the titan arum (A. titanum), one of the largest flowering plants in the world and a congener of moyu. All parts of the moyu plant are toxic, with the corm being the most poisonous. It cannot be eaten raw and must be processed before consumption. Poisoning can cause burning, itching pain, and swelling of the tongue and throat if digested.
Distribution and habitat Wild forms grow naturally in China (Yunnan in the southwest) and Southeast Asia.
Uses
Moyu (konjac) is grown in warm subtropical to tropical areas of East and Southeast Asia, from China and Japan south to Indonesia and Vietnam (USDA hardiness zone 6–11). and it is prized for its large starchy corms, used to create a flour and jelly of the same name. It is also used as a vegan substitute for gelatin.
China Native to China, moyu has been used for more 2000 years. Early medicinal references to the plant appear in Shennong Bencaojing (Chinese: 神农本草经, lit. 'Shen-nong's Herbal Classics'), a foundational herbal materia medica traditionally associated with the Western Han dynasty (206 BC – 8 AD), describing the corm as a medicinal substance valued for its detoxifying and expectorant properties. The original text of the Shennong Bencaojing is lost, and the version that survives today was restored and recompiled from quotations in later dynasties. The plant was later introduced to Japan, where it has been consumed since at least the 6th century. The earliest clear record of its cultivation and food use comes from the Western Jin dynasty (265–317 AD). In "Ode to the Capital of Shu" (蜀都赋, part of Three Capitals Rhapsody), the poet Zuo Si (左思) mentions "juruo" (蒟蒻) growing in the gardens of the Shu region (present-day Sichuan). Later Tang-dynasty annotations provide a detailed description, in which the large white corm is boiled with alkaline ash water (lye, 灰汁) to neutralize its toxicity and form a firm jelly-like substance, which locals prized and sometimes preserved in vinegar. The viscous jelly derived from the dried corm contains a high proportion of glucomannan gum. Moyu is commonly consumed in the Chinese provinces of Sichuan, Chongqing, Guizhou, and Yunnan. The corm is known as móyù (Chinese: 魔芋; lit. 'demonic taro', 'magical taro'), while the jelly made from it is called móyù dòufu (魔芋豆腐; lit. 'moyu tofu'), “snow moyu” (xuě móyù, 雪魔芋), or simply móyù kuài (魔芋块; lit. 'moyu brick'). Because moyu jelly has a firm, elastic texture and readily absorbs the flavors of broths and seasonings, it is recently marketed as a plant‑based analogue of beef tripe, known as sù máodǔ (素毛肚; lit. 'vegetarian tripe'). Ridged or shredded forms of moyu mimic the chewiness of animal offal while remaining very low in calories and high in dietary fiber, making them common ingredients in hot pot dishes and Sichuan‑style preparations.
Japan In Japanese cuisine, food product made from moyu plant, known as konnyaku, appears in dishes such as oden. It is typically mottled grey and firmer in consistency than most gelatins. It has very little flavor; 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). In Japan over 90% of all domestically produced moyu (konjac) is made in Gunma Prefecture. It is valued more for its texture than flavor. Ito konnyaku (糸蒟蒻) is a Japanese food consisting of konjac cut into noodle-like strips. It is usually sold in plastic bags with accompanying water, which is drained before cooking. The name literally means 'thread-konjac'. Japanese konnyaku is made by mixing konjac flour with water and limewater. Konjac cannot be eaten raw because it contains oxalic acid. The product comes in various shades of gray; konnyaku made from corm are naturally dark, while those made from konjac flour are white. Hijiki is often added for the characteristic dark color and flavor. 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. Konjac has been used in Japan since the 6th century, as a supposed medicinal food. Japanese documents from around the 18th century mentions its intestinal cleansing property. Nakajima Toemon developed a method to produce konjac flour in 1776, which are more durable for transportation and storage, contributing to their wider consumption.
Vietnam In Vietnam, konjac is mainly grown in the An Giang province. The corms are collected and processed into flour. The flour is used to make drinks, cakes, and noodles.
Traditional medicine The dried corm of the konjac plant contains around 40% glucomannan gum. This polysaccharide makes konjac jelly, a viscous substance that may be used in traditional Chinese medicine.
Fruit jelly Konjac can also be made into a popular East Asian fruit jelly snack, known variously in the US as lychee cups (after a typical flavor) or konjac candy, usually served in bite-sized plastic cups. This fruit jelly was first sold in Japan in 1979.
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