Osmanthus Glutinous Rice Lotus Root

Osmanthus Glutinous Rice Lotus Root

　　Osmanthus Glutinous Rice Lotus Root

　　　Ingredients:

　　2 jin (approx. 1 kg) of old lotus root (can usually hold about 300g glutinous rice), 10g food-grade alkali, 100g soft white sugar, preferably also 10g osmanthus sugar.

　　Method:

　　After thoroughly washing the lotus root, use a knife to trim off the root end and tender tip, then scrape off any root fibers on the surface of the nodes. Cut off about 3 cm from the thicker end near a node, leaving this piece as the lotus root lid.

　　Rinse the glutinous rice and drain off excess water, then stuff it into the lotus root cavities. Press it down firmly with chopsticks as you go to ensure the rice is packed tightly. Once fully stuffed, cover with the reserved lotus root lid and secure it in place using a bamboo skewer (or toothpick) so it doesn’t come off easily.

　　Place the stuffed lotus root in a pot, add enough water to submerge it and include the food-grade alkali. Bring to a boil and simmer until the lotus root is fully cooked. Remove the lotus root, drain off the water, and place it in a container to chill in the refrigerator. Once cooled, slice the lotus root and arrange the slices on a plate or in a bowl. Sprinkle with soft white sugar and osmanthus sugar before serving.

　　Tip: Choose thick, large-cavity lotus roots for best results.