Why is the lotus root not crispy? Why is the lotus root not crispy?

We all know that lotus root is a common food ingredient. It can be eaten in many ways, such as stewing soup, cooking, or eating cold dishes. Different ways of eating will have different tastes and textures. Some people like to eat pink lotus roots, while others like to eat crispy lotus roots. So why is lotus root not crispy? Let's take a closer look!

Why is lotus root not crispy?

The first factor: the choice of ingredients

Lotus roots all look the same to us, but if you observe carefully you will find that there are two types of lotus roots. One type looks watery on the surface, and the skin is a bit gray. After cutting it open, you will find that the inside is white, and soon water droplets will appear on the cut surface. This type of lotus root has a crisp taste because it contains less starch and more water. So if you want to eat crispy lotus roots, choose this type of lotus root.

The other type is yellow or slightly reddish on the surface. After cutting, the inside is also slightly yellow. There are many silks inside when you break it open with your hands. This type of lotus root mainly contains more starch and less water, so it tastes sticky. It is soft and glutinous after being cooked. This type of lotus root is basically best for making soup, so don't choose this type when making a choice.

I will teach you a method to choose. Lotus roots are divided into seven-hole lotus roots and nine-hole lotus roots. The seven-hole lotus roots are what we call white in color and crisp in taste. The nine-hole lotus roots are the second type, which is yellow in color and soft in taste, so it is more intuitive to choose.

The second factor: production method

The most common problem when cooking lotus root is discoloration, which is an oxidation reaction. The solution is: so after peeling the lotus root, we should put it in a basin in time and add clean water and white vinegar to soak it. This can solve the discoloration of the lotus root after oxidation. When making it: we should pay attention to adding an appropriate amount of white vinegar and salt when blanching, put it in the pot and boil it again, and then take it out for about 5 seconds. If it takes too long, the lotus root will be overcooked and affect the taste.

How to make lotus root crispy

1. Material selection: choose white and tender lotus root

There are many varieties of lotus roots, and generally have two different tastes, one is crispy lotus root and the other is pink lotus root. Crisp lotus root has less starch, tastes sweeter, and is crisper, making it suitable for cold salad and stir-frying. Pink lotus root has more starch, tastes pink and glutinous, and is suitable for stewing soup and making lotus root powder. Obviously, if you want the lotus root slices to be crispier, you have to buy crispy lotus root. So how do you distinguish between pink lotus root and crispy lotus root?

I believe many people have heard of the 7-hole lotus root and 9-hole lotus root. There is a common saying on the Internet that the number of round holes in the middle of the lotus root can be used to determine whether the lotus root is soft or crispy. The 7-hole lotus root is soft, and the 9-hole lotus root is crispy. In fact, this method is not accurate. Those who have not paid attention to it before can pay attention to it. The number of round holes in the lotus root has no certain relationship with crispy lotus root and soft lotus root. Generally, crispy lotus root is relatively tender lotus root, that is, the early lotus root. Generally, the lotus root just out in summer is crispy lotus root. The crispy lotus root has white and tender skin, and a slender shape, while the pink lotus root is old lotus root with a pink-brown skin, a rough skin, and a sturdier appearance. Therefore, if you want the lotus root slices to be crisper, you need to choose crispy lotus root. You can judge according to the skin and appearance of the lotus root.

2. Do not cook for a long time + ice water

When making cold lotus root slices, you can cut the lotus root into thin slices about 2 mm. After cutting, blanch them in boiling water for a short time, 1 to 2 minutes is enough. Then take out the lotus root slices and soak them in ice water for a few minutes. In this way, the lotus root slices will become crisper as they cool from hot. This step is essential.

3. Add vinegar

When slicing the lotus root, in order to prevent the slices from turning black, you can soak them in vinegar and water. This can not only prevent the slices from turning black, but also make the lotus root taste crisper. If you are worried that the lotus root will be too soft when blanching, you can also add some vinegar to cook it together. This way you don’t have to worry about the lotus root slices being too soft and resulting in a bad taste. When making a cold dish, you can also add some cold vinegar or seasonings such as aged vinegar and balsamic vinegar, and the lotus root slices will also be crisper.

4. What if I buy pink lotus root?

In fact, the pink lotus root can also be made into lotus root slices, but the taste is not as sweet and crispy as the crispy lotus root. However, if you want the pink lotus root to have a soft and glutinous taste, it needs to be stewed for a long time. Therefore, if you buy pink lotus root and want to make cold lotus root slices, you can do so. Just follow the method mentioned above, don't cook it for too long, then rinse it with ice water, add seasonings, etc. Although the taste is not as good as that of the crispy lotus root, after all, everyone has their own favorite tastes.

5. Smell the lotus root when choosing it

Of course, when choosing crispy lotus roots, the whiter the skin is, the better. Some lotus roots have very white skin and have been specially treated. You need to be careful to distinguish them when purchasing. Use your nose to smell to see if there is any special smell of medicine. If so, do not buy it.

Lotus root recipe

Prepare ingredients: 300 grams of lotus root, a piece of ginger, a bell pepper, and some fungus

Seasoning: 50g white vinegar, 4g salt, 2g sugar, 2g sesame oil

Preparation method:

1. Cut the ingredients. Peel the lotus root and cut it into thin slices of 1 cm in thickness with a knife. Put them in a bowl, add water that is no thicker than the lotus root slices, and add about 10 grams of white vinegar; chop the ginger into fine pieces, soak the fungus in advance, and cut the bell pepper into small cubes for later use.

2. Add water to the blanching pot, add a small spoonful of white vinegar and a small spoonful of salt, add the cut lotus root slices after the water boils, boil again over high heat for about 5 seconds, remove from the pot, soak thoroughly in the prepared cold water, control the water and set aside.

3. Prepare a small bowl for making the sauce, add the chopped ginger, about 30 grams of white vinegar, 4 grams of salt, 2 grams of sugar, and an appropriate amount of sesame oil, and stir well.

4. Put the prepared lotus root slices on a plate, place black fungus around them, sprinkle with colored pepper, and pour the prepared juice on the lotus root slices. If you like garlic, you can cut some garlic and put it in.

Tips for making crispy lotus root slices

To make lotus root slices, you should choose lotus roots that are white in color, and cut the lotus roots into even thickness. After cutting, soak them in water and white vinegar to wash off the starch on the surface of the lotus root slices. Also add salt and white vinegar when blanching, and the blanching time should not be too long. If you master the above steps, you can make lotus root slices with a crisp texture.