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Food Beverages & Agriculture » Agricultural Products
Lotus roots in Chinesse Cuisine
Lotus with latin name 'Nelumbo nucifera' is a water plant with beautiful and graceful flower. It has grown since an ancient time, and has place of honor in the history of great civilizations in China, Egypt, and India. Its flower becomes a symbol of beauty, purity, and perfection. The roots are planted in the soil of lake, river, or ponds bottom, and the leaves drift on the water surface, while the flower arises above the water on the thick stem. The skin of lotus roots is thin and smooth, it is only need to scrap for removing its skin. Inside part of lotus roots, there are several air pockets along its length of the tubes for airiness in the water. Being sliced in half it forms such a wagon wheel derived from the large air pocket.
Each part of lotus plant has many functions as herbal and could also be cooked and consumed as many cuisines. The most used part to be cooked is its roots. The lotus roots are about 7 to 9 inches long with diameter about 1.5 to 2.5 inches. These are used to use as vegetable in Asian cuisine especially in Chinese culture for various dishes as soup or stir-fried in combination with other food. They are rich in calories and carbohydrates, they are also containing protein, fat, fiber, and minerals. Lotus roots is a starchy vegetable which is usually stir fried cook with fatty meat in Chinese culture for serving during winter season. It needs longer time cooking since lotus roots are rather hard, but they are crispy. Their decorative textures are beautiful which are not easy broken and still keep in style for serving on the plates to stimulate an appetite. Other way on cooking this vegetable in Chinese culture is shimmering in soup. It is cooked for about 2 to 2.5 hours in low heat, usually combined with meat and any other raw spices and any kinds of nuts. The soup will be sticky and starchy with its special delicious taste of its starchiness.
These Lotus roots are also available in starch to be used for pastas, baking powder, noodle, creamed cereal, pancake mix, imitation nut butter, imitation mayonnaise, cookies, quick breads, loaf breads, muffins, bagels, crackers, and tortillas. It has a mild cheese taste with a truly unique sense. It is also often used for moon cake filled as Chinese pastry traditionally served during mid-Autumn Festival called 'Moon Festival' in Chinese culture
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