{"id":10520,"date":"2020-07-11T11:45:41","date_gmt":"2020-07-11T11:45:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/redhousespice.com\/?p=10520"},"modified":"2022-06-07T17:03:17","modified_gmt":"2022-06-07T17:03:17","slug":"spicy-lotus-root-stir-fry","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/redhousespice.com\/spicy-lotus-root-stir-fry\/","title":{"rendered":"Spicy lotus root stir-fry (\u8fa3\u7092\u83b2\u85d5)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A good-looking vegetarian dish with great flavour, spicy lotus root stir-fry can be made in just a few minutes. This recipe tells you all the essential facts about this special vegetable and how to pick the spicy seasoning sauce.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Lotus<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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What is lotus root<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Lotus root (Lian Ou, 莲藕) is a popular vegetarian ingredient widely used in Chinese cuisine. Although named as “root”, it is in fact the rhizome<\/a><\/strong>, a continuously growing horizontal underwater stem, of the lotus plant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It comes in connected, cylinder-shaped segments (like giant linked sausages). There are either seven or nine holes that run through the entire segment<\/strong>. When cut crosswise, you will see a “rotary dial phone” pattern which makes this ingredient extra interesting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Lotus<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Having a slightly sweet and earthy taste,<\/strong> lotus root offers a crunchy texture when briefly blanched or stir-fried. If simmered in liquid for a lengthy period, it turns soft and tender, similar to the texture of boiled potato (eg. Sweet lotus root with sticky rice<\/a>). Low in calories and high in fibre<\/strong>, lotus root can be cooked in many ways. Today’s spicy lotus stir-fry is about the easiest way to turn it into a delicious dish.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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How to choose & store lotus root<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

You should be able to find lotus root in most Chinese stores. They are sold fresh or in vacuum plastic bags. When buying, I suggest you pick the fat & firm ones which don’t have much cracks or bruises<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Peeling<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The outer skin of lotus root tastes a little bitter thus need to be removed<\/strong>. A vegetable peeler does a good job. You should also discard the hard ends of each segment. I always like slicing it crosswise so the unique holey pattern can be seen. In some classic lotus root dishes, such as hot & sour lotus root (酸辣藕丁), you would find it diced into small cubes. Please feel free to do so if you prefer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can keep lotus root in the fridge for about two weeks (or follow the expire date if available). It freezes well too<\/strong>. Wash, peel and cut it into the desired shape. Store it in the freezer for up to three months. Defrost in the fridge before using.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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How to stir fry lotus root<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

It’s not hard to cook a tasty stir-fry using lotus root as the star ingredient. As it goes well with almost all types of seasoning\/sauce, you can improvise with inspiration from other classic dishes. For example, cook it in Sichuan garlic sauce or make it Kung Pao flavoured. My spicy lotus root stir-fry is one of the simplest among many choices. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Spicy<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

From start to finish, it takes less than 5 mins to cook the dish. Here is the procedure:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Blanch the lotus root slices for about 2 mins then drain well. In Chinese, this process is called Duan Sheng\/断生 meaning “break the rawness”. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Heat up oil in a wok over high heat. Add garlic & Sichuan chilli bean paste which provides the key flavour of the dish: spicy, aromatic and salty. Fry them until fragrant (Be careful not to burn).<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Stir in the lotus roots and sliced fresh chilli. Fry until all the pieces are evenly coated by the seasoning.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Finally sprinkle finely chopped scallions. Give everything a quick stir then dish out.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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    How to choose Sichuan chilli bean paste<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    If you are into Sichuan cuisine (one of the most popular regional cuisines of China), I guess you already know the beauty of Sichuan chilli bean paste<\/a>. Consisting of fermented broad beans and spicy chillies, it’s a fundamental condiment used to season many iconic dishes<\/strong> (eg. Mapo Tofu<\/a>, Sichuan Boiled fish<\/a>, etc.) As mentioned above, I use it to season my lotus root stir-fry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"Sichuan
    The chilli oil version of Sichuan chilli bean paste which I recommend<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    Sichuan chilli bean paste is widely available in Chinese stores\/major online shopping platforms, but it can be very confusing when sourcing it. A variety of Chinese and English names used for this condiment often makes finding it a mission impossible. So I’d like to clarify a few terms to help you identify it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n