Tuesday, 06 September 2011

• Lotus Root And Walnut Soup

  This is a guest post by Teczcape.
  
  I came across this weird lotus root recipe in a Chinese recipe booklet titled 清肠排毒 (it will be translated to "detoxification") and decided to try this idea using the remaining lotus root (yes, this time truly the last of lotus root!). The recipe called for just two ingredients: lotus root and walnuts, plus some salt and pepper seasonings. WHAaaat? That's it? And walnuts? Weird.
  
  As you can see, there are more ingredients in my Lotus Root and Walnut Soup. With my "itchy" hands, I don't think the dish fits for detox anymore as I have added aromatics (onions, garlic, Chinese celery) to flavor up the entire dish.
  
  Chinese celery ( more usually known as 药芹 in Chinese, literally meaning Medicinal Celery) is quite different from the regular celery. The Chinese celery originated in a form of wild celery (the stems/stalks of the Chinese celery are much thinner, and more leafy). Chinese celery also has a much stronger (pungency of medicine) and flavor, thus used like a herb (similar to parsley or cilantro) in cooking. Chinese celery can be a popular garnish to soups.
  
  Ingredients: 1tbsp finely diced onions, 2 cloves finely diced garlic, 1 bunch of Chinese celery (stems to be sliced to finger lengths, roughly chopped leaves); 1 small lotus root, thinly sliced; 9-10 walnuts; some gojiberries; 1/4 tsp light soy sauce; salt and white pepper to taste
  
  Directions: Briskly fry the onions, then add the garlic and fry till aromatic. Add the lotus root, walnut and water/stock (enough to cover the lotus root and walnuts) and boil till simmering. When simmering, turn down the heat
  
  So, this is my version of homemade soup with lotus root, walnut, Chinese celery and gojiberries. In place of peanuts often used in Chinese lotus root soups, walnuts can be a good change. If you enjoy crunching on softer walnuts (soaked in water) and see them in the light of nutrition (the omega-3s), then you may appreciate the presence of walnuts in this soup.
  
  Do you know that Dr. Oz's perfect snack is a handful of walnuts, soaked in water for softer texture? It is a great snacking idea from Dr. Oz, as walnuts, loaded with omega-3 fats, also keep us feeling full for the day (so that we snack less?) - Source: Good Housekeeping.
  
  But asking me to snack less is almost impossible!
  
  Have you tried lotus root?
  
  
  

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