My family specialty dish is called lotus root soup. “Lotus root has great sources of Vitamin C”.  You can search its nutrition yourself. It’s an amazing fact. Lotus root soup with pork spare ribs, goji, beancurds and peanuts is the best among a variety of soup served by my grandma.

I dare say nobody can beat my grandma family hand down specialty traditional lotus root soup. Of course, grandma cook it every time and when there is family reunion dinner. We always telling ourselves, we should really learn her cooking. Which we never got around to cook like her’s, though mom knows. Now grandma left us.

I managed to preserved grandma lotus root ingredient using stir fry method and omitting peanuts so everyone can enjoy it. I decided to fry by adding vegetables as something of me. It’s also trial and error: scratch job. What I like most about lotus root is it satisfying crunch! It adds a delightful mixture of textures and flavours, and it’s incredibly tasty considering how simple it is, especially in stir fry. Simple stir fried lotus root is hard to beat as a vegetable side dish. Lotus roots have a very subtle sweet flavour that takes on the flavour of garlic stick, and carrot. Capsicums add colour and additional texture to the dish. 

Caramelised method by adding cornflour has a light but surprisingly flavourful sauce made with garlic, light soy sauce, black matured vinegar and Shao Xing wine. Other simple ingredients like salt, pepper and sugar balance it out. Let gets cooking!!!

Ingredients

2 Tbs olive oil
2 garlic cloves, finely sliced
400 g frozen lotus, thawed
1 medium carrot, cut into bite size
1 red capsicum, thinly sliced
1 green capsicum, thinly sliced
1 stalk of garlic sticks, bite size length
1/8 cup brown sugar
2 Tbs Shao Xing wine
2 Tbs black matured vinegar
2 Tsp cornflour plus 1 Tbs water
3 Tsp light soy sauce
salt
pepper
Sprinkle dried fried garlic

Method

Heat wok until it is slightly smoking, now add oil and garlic. Stir fry for 35 seconds, then add carrot, fry for 2 minutes. Next add lotus root, fry for 3-4 minutes. Then add sugar, continue frying for 2 minutes until it starts becoming sticky.

Then garlic sticks, fry for 4 minutes; toss to mix in. Next add capsicums, Shao Xing wine, and vinegar and cook for 30 seconds. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Followed by soy to balance the sweetness.

Cook for 30 seconds, until the sauce is at a simmer. Then cornflour mixture. Stir for about 20-30 seconds until the sauce coats the vegetables. Before serving sprinkle fried garlic. Serve it with rice and a meat dish.

Note: You may use peanut oil. You may use fresh lotus root and any vegetables you like. You may use mirin instead of Shoa Hsing Chinese cooking wine. You can use normal black vinegar. You can use white sugar.

https://helenscchin.com/2019/09/27/stir-fry-caramelised-lotus-root-vegetables/

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