Lotus Root is a common ingredient for Japanese cooking, but it is one of the hard-to-find vegetables in Australia. However, ready-to-use frozen Lotus Root is available from many Asian grocery stores. Lotus Root has no strong flavour, but it has very unique crispy and crunchy texture as well as potato-like texture. I don’t know any other vegetables that have the same or similar texture like Lotus Root.

Makes

4 Servings

Ingredients

400g Frozen Lotus Root *thawed
2 to 3 tablespoons Potato starch Flour OR Corn Starch Flour
Oil for frying
Toasted Sesame Seeds

Sauce
2 tablespoons Sugar
1 tablespoon Rice Vinegar
2 tablespoons Soy Sauce OR 3 tablespoons ‘Bannō’ Soy Sauce
*Note: ‘Bannō’ Soy Sauce can be made by combining 2 tablespoons Soy Sauce, 1/4 teaspoon grated Garlic, 1/2 teaspoon grated Ginger, 1/2 teaspoon Toban Djan (Chilli Bean Sauce)

Method
  1. Combine all the sauce ingredients in a small bowl.
  2. Cut Lotus Root slices in half, sprinkle Potato Starch Flour over and coat each piece. This layer of starch will become jelly-like when combined with sauce.
  3. Shallow fry the Lotus Root pieces with generous amount of Oil in a frying pan until slightly golden and crispy. They tend to stick to each other because of the starch coating, so DO NOT fry too many pieces at once.
  4. When you finished frying the Lotus Root pieces, transfer the Oil to a mug or something, and clean the pan using paper towel.
  5. Place the sauce in the pan and heat over medium high heat. When the sauce starts boiling, add fried Lotus Root pieces, and combine all well.
  6. Sprinkle with some Toasted Sesame Seeds and serve.