During a trip to Portland with my family and my sister-in-law this past Autumn, we found ourselves wandering around the small oasis called the Lan Su Chinese Garden. The lotuses were still in bloom, the carp were active and the weather was beautiful. The children felt at home, as if they were romping around the Chinese Garden in our Seattle neighborhood, guided by a scavenger hunt. We took a break from exploring to hang out at the cafe and ordered a few things to share, which includes this lotus root salad that my husband was smitten with.
We love lotus. It’s a wonderful addition to hotpot, and they are awesome stuffed and fried. Flavor-wise, they are neutral, but as long as they haven’t been over-boiled, they sop up the flavors it finds itself in and retains a bit of a crunch. Such is the reason why it goes great in this salad.
The salad is colorful, and the addition of edamame and wood ear mushrooms provide a contrast in texture. The dressing is a delicate balance between the heat of chilis, the nuttiness of the sesame oil, creaminess of the tahini and the pucker from the vinegar.
I served this alongside a platter of fried dumplings for the winter solstice festival and dare I say, for a moment, we were back in that cafe, overlooking the lotuses in the garden pond, together as a family. The lotus can be said to also symbolize family ties that are never broken, hence the saying “藕断丝连” (Ou duan si lian), which has been popularized by singer Andy Lau, but in the context of romantic relationships. So to all my family, from near and far, know that we are thinking of you this Winter Solstice Festival, until we see each other again.
Lotus Root Salad
Serves: 6
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
Dressing:
3 tbsp Sriracha Sauce
1 tbsp Chinese Black Vinegar
1 tbsp Tahini
1 tsp Sesame Oil
1 tbsp hot water
Pinch of salt
1 small thumb of ginger, peeled and cut into matchsticks
Salad:
150 g lotus root, sliced cross-section and blanched
¼ cucumber, julienned
⅛ cup wood ear mushroom, rehydrated (measure while dry) yields about 1 cup rehydrated
½ large carrot, julienned
½ cup edamame, shelled
2 stalks scallions, bias cut
¼ small red cabbage, shredded
2 stalks of celery, chopped roughly
Daikon radish, thinly sliced, optional
Cilantro, finely chopped for garnish
Instructions:
To make the dressing, combine all ingredients and whisk to combine well.*
Toss all salad ingredients with dressing and serve immediately.
Notes:
*dressing can be doubled if you want your salad to be partially submerged in the dressing. Since the vegetables are hardy, you won’t have to worry about it getting soggy.
*dressing can be made up to a day ahead to let the flavors deepen
Inspiration: Lan Su Chinese Garden Yun Shui Teahouse
Hey It's Jen Lou 