Kuzu or kudzu is a tuber related to jícama, the yam bean, which, when cooked is added to soups and stews in China. It is white and sweet but must be cooked. In Japan it is more likely to be used like arrowroot, and is used to thickening agent for sauces. Like arrowroot, it gives the sauces a sort of translucence. Unlike the pure white chalkiness of arrowroot, kuzu is rather dull and lumpy. It may also be used in batters and it sets into a hard, crisp coating. Kuzu is also used for treating digestive disorders in China and Japan. Kuzu grows like a weed in parts of the United States and farmers invest millions of dollars trying to iradicate it.
