Seafood Lotus Root

Seafood Lotus Root

　　While admiring lotus flowers is certainly delightful, eating lotus root offers a unique flavor. The lotus root produced in Hoiyin is plump and large, with the largest ones weighing up to five or six catties. The best varieties come from areas such as Sansha and San’an. Not only are the lotus roots from these places exceptionally large, but they also have a particularly high starch content. When cooked, the lotus root becomes fluffy and even cracks open slightly. With one bite, it feels as soft as taro and has a rich lotus fragrance. When used in soups, it tastes sweet and creamy. Sliced thinly and stir-fried with pork or beef slices, it turns out crispy with no residue, making it an excellent dish for summer. In Taishan, locals make a refreshing summer soup using winter melon, red beans, and lotus root, often adding one or two tender lotus leaves to infuse the broth with a subtle lotus aroma, which also helps cool the body and relieve irritability. The lotus leaves picked during harvesting are dried and can be used as packaging material. In places like Guangzhou, they are even used to wrap lotus leaf rice dumplings.