Lotus root

Racine de lotus

What it is

The holes are air ducts: the rhizome lies buried in pond mud and breathes through them from the leaves standing above the water. Japanese New Year tables include it because you can see through the slice, read as a clear view of the year ahead.

In the kitchen

Slice it and hold the slices in water with a splash of vinegar; the cut face browns within minutes. Vinegar in the cooking water also keeps it crisp — simmered in plain water it goes floury.

Goes with

Soy sauce Rice vinegar Toasted sesame oil Pork Kombu Hon-mirin Black sesame Chili pepper

Same species

Lotus leaf Lotus seed Lotus seed paste

Also used with

Fukujinzuke Red fermented bean curd (nanru) Karashi (Japanese mustard)

In season alongside

Blue foot mushroom Celeriac Escarole Miner's lettuce Nagaimo (Chinese yam) Ulluco

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