Aralia Elata, called "Dureup" in Korea, is a tree found in Korea, Japan ("udo"), and China. More commonly known as Angelica, it grows tender, edible shoots that resemble asparagus in texture and forward flavor, and finishes with a refreshing piney, slightly grassy note. There may be a slightly astringent finish when eaten raw but blanching, peeling the skin, or cooking eliminates it.
Angelica takes its rightful place among a distinctive group of Korean "bom-namul" (literally translated "spring-vegetables"), yielding a small number of shoots from trees that can grow over 12 feet tall in the wild. We continuously harvest them to encourage more shoot to develop while allowing just enough growth to sustain photosynthesis.
The traditional and most common method of preparation is to blanch them and dip them in cho-gochujang, a mix of gochujang with a splash of vinegar chopped garlic + scallions, but don't let tradition stop you from battering and deep frying them!
