美丽又美味的荷花：莲植物的烹饪艺术 - 2021年07月28日

Lotus flowers are regarded as divine symbols of integrity in Chinese culture. They grow out of muddy and swampy ponds, breaking the surface of the water as they bloom with totally flawless petals.

The dry, ripe lotus seeds are much more common as a food item. They're commonly cooked in congees and soups (both sweet and savory) to boost the taste and health benefits. In traditional Chinese medicine, lotus seeds have sweet and neutral properties, and are used to tonify the spleen and kidney and nourish the heart.

"I love only the lotus, for rising from the mud yet remaining unstained; bathed by pure currents but shows no coquettishness," Northern Song (960-1127) philosopher Zhou Dunyi's (1017-73) poem "On the Love of the Lotus."

In Buddhist symbolism, the lotus represents the purity of body, speech and mind. Classic paintings would often feature deities seated on lotus flowers.

The entire lotus plant, from the muddy root to the pure flower, is a treasure in Chinese culinary culture. The lotus season begins in summer and extends to fall. The lotus root is alive all year with modern agriculture and logistics, but the plant's other parts are very seasonal.

The lotus roots

The root of the lotus is the most common and frequently used part. It's a fat-free, low-calorie root vegetable packed with beneficial nutrients like potassium, and its insoluble fiber can promote digestion.

There are generally two types of lotus root in Chinese cuisine distinguished by the texture – the crunchy and starchy lotus root. Different recipes call for different types of lotus roots for better taste and texture.

The crunchy root makes great cold salads, perfect for the summer season. Thin lotus root slices can be briefly poached in boiling water to remove the slight astringency and muddy taste, then rinsed with ice water to preserve the crunchy texture. You can then toss the slices with your favorite dressing, which can be sweet and sour or spicy and sour, and the little holes of the lotus root can coat more of the flavorful sauce.

This type of lotus root is also ideal for quick vegetable stir-fries. The dish with the poetic name "lotus pond stir-fry" is a classic recipe that quickly stir-fries thinly sliced lotus roots, carrots, snow peas, yams and black fungus, a visually pleasant dish that resembles a garden on a plate.

Vegetables with a crunchy texture like lotus root (and water chestnuts) can be added into meat minces to improve the flavor and texture of the meatballs and dumpling fillings.

The lotus root itself also makes great vegan "meatballs" – grating the vegetable into fine shreds, squeezing out the moisture through gauze (save the juice for later use) and seasoning with salt, five-spice and peppercorn powders.

Heat up the lotus root juice in a small pot over low heat until the texture thickens, then pour it over the lotus root shreds and mix well some flour, giving the mixture the needed stickiness to form the balls, which are then deep fried.

The lotus balls can be enjoyed sizzling hot with a dipping sauce or seasoned chili powder, or cooked in quick soups with other vegetables.

The starchy lotus root, on the other hand, is more suitable for stewing in soups. Lotus root and pork rib soup is an all-time classic, requiring minimal seasoning of salt and ginger.

The key is to enjoy the original flavors of the lotus root and protein, as the large chunks of lotus root fully soak up the rich broth.

Pieces of fresh corn or peanuts can also be added to the soup, which will give it more natural sweetness.

On the sweet side, lotus root stuffed with glutinous rice is an all-time favorite. Using the starchy variety of the lotus root, select the whole segments with even holes and cut off one side of the cap, then stuff the sticky rice that has been soaked in water overnight into the holes until they are filled up. Put back the cap and secure it with a few toothpicks.

Then in a deep pot, put 100 grams of brown sugar and enough water to cover the lotus root, bring it to a boil and simmer for one hour. Then add rock sugar and cook for another hour.

Let the lotus root cool down and slice carefully. Serve with a sprinkle of dried osmanthus flower for decoration and aroma. If you reduce the sugar during the cooking process, the sliced stuffed lotus root can be glazed with osmanthus flower syrup to boost fragrance and flavor.

The lotus root is also used to make oufen, or lotus powder, which is a Hangzhou specialty dessert and snack.

After mixing the lotus powder with hot water, it becomes sticky and starchy, with a semi-transparent pink hue and natural fragrance of the lotus root. Packaged lotus powder includes sweetened and unsweetened versions, and the elevated recipes feature additional ingredients like nuts, dried fruits and osmanthus flower.

Oudai, which translates to lotus belt, is the young, tender lotus root resembling asparagus.

It's a specialty from Hubei Province, and has a delicate and crunchy texture. The baby lotus roots are usually stir-fried lightly with chili and vinegar, or pickled to serve as a flavorful side.

The lotus seeds

Fresh, tender lotus seeds can be eaten directly. They are mildly sweet and crunchy. The fresh seeds are often sold in seedpods, making it extra fun to pick out the seeds and peel off the thick, green skin. The embryos of the seeds taste bitter, and they can be removed as well.

The dry, ripe lotus seeds are much more common as a food item. They're commonly cooked in congees and soups (both sweet and savory) to boost the taste and health benefits. In traditional Chinese medicine, lotus seeds have sweet and neutral properties, and are used to tonify the spleen and kidney and nourish the heart.

Lotus seeds and white fungus soup is a classic recipe that's believed to nourish the yin energy and clear internal heat. White fungus was once a dried product that required reconstitution by soaking in water for several hours. Now fresh white fungus is easily found in supermarkets, and they are more tender with a natural floral fragrance. The soup simply stews the white fungus and lotus seeds until the texture becomes slightly thickened and smooth, and it can be served cold, iced or hot depending on the season. Additional ingredients like red jujubes and goji berries can also be added to elevate the nutritional value and taste.

Lotus seeds are also made into a classic mooncake filling. The lotus seed paste leans on the sweet side, as it's made by stir-frying the grinded lotus seeds with sugar and oil. The white lotus paste is made of white sugar, while the red lotus paste is made of brown sugar. The lotus seed paste and double yolk mooncake is an all-time favorite, and perfect for sharing with family over a nice pot of tea to balance the rich and sweet flavors.

The flower and the leaf

The celestial lotus flower is also edible. Deep-fried lotus flower made by coating the fresh petals with a batter of egg, flour and sugar is a summertime snack. The beautiful lotus flower petals can also be used as small plates and bowls, adding a pink hue to the dining table.

Lotus flower ice congee is another heat relief recipe. The congee is stewed with traditional or glutinous rice, job's tears and lotus seeds, then chilled in the refrigerator over night and served with shreds of fresh lotus flower on top.

The enormous leaves of the lotus plant are used as wrappers to cook different dishes, such as beggar's chicken, Cantonese dim sum chicken and glutinous rice wrap.

The dried lotus leaf tea is an herbal tea with great health benefits, such as aiding weight control, clearing heat and relieving swelling – a great summertime beverage.