As autumn quietly arrives, our food choices should also adjust accordingly. In this season, it is recommended to diversify our diet rather than blindly consuming large amounts of animal-based foods such as meat and seafood. Instead, we should moderately increase the intake of seasonal fruits, vegetables, and nuts, such as pears, lotus root, water bamboo shoots, water chestnuts, and walnuts.
Lotus root, also known as lotus, water lily, hibiscus, or water caltrop, belongs to the perennial rhizomatous aquatic plants of the Nelumbo genus in the Nymphaeaceae family. The rhizome part of the lotus, which we are familiar with as lotus root, is a nutrient-rich ingredient.
From a nutritional perspective, lotus root is rich in carbohydrates, protein, vitamins, and minerals. It also contains special dietary components such as polyphenols and polysaccharides. There are 11.5 grams of carbohydrates in every 100 grams of lotus root, with the starch content typically ranging from 10% to 20%, and the insoluble dietary fiber content at 2.2%. The lotus root powder we often drink is made from lotus root.
Lotus root is rich in vitamin C, with 19 milligrams in every 100 grams, comparable to the vitamin C content in white radish. This makes lotus root a helpful ingredient for antioxidant and anti-inflammatory purposes. In addition, lotus root contains a variety of bioactive components such as quercetin, catechin, gallic acid, resveratrol, and umbelliferone, which endow lotus root with multiple biological functions like antioxidant, hemostatic, and anti-inflammatory properties.
When cooking lotus root, it is recommended to peel and slice it before soaking in water to prevent oxidation and discoloration. Quick blanching is advised before stir-frying. Lotus root can be cooked in various ways, such as frying, stir-frying, braising, and deep-frying. Simple cold lotus root or lotus root and pork rib soup can allow one to savor the delicacy and softness of lotus root. Moreover, cooking lotus root with rice or other grains can create lotus root porridge with different flavors.
It is important to note that regardless of the cooking method chosen, lotus root should be quickly soaked in water after peeling and slicing to avoid oxidation and discoloration. Lotus root can also be stewed with pears, red dates, and goji berries to make a nutritious lotus root and pear soup. Additionally, osmanthus glutinous rice stuffed lotus root is a unique dessert, where raw glutinous rice is stuffed into the lotus root and stewed, then served with osmanthus sauce or sprinkled with some osmanthus flowers for a distinctive flavor.
However, for fried lotus root dishes like crispy lotus root boxes, although they are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, and delicious, they should be consumed in moderation due to their high oil content and caloric value. In this season of harvest, let us enjoy healthy and delicious autumn cuisine by reasonably matching ingredients.
