What should I add if the lotus root is not soft?

There are many ways to eat lotus root, such as the cold salad or braised lotus root commonly seen in many snack shops, and the lotus root is often used to stew soup at home. However, there is a puzzling phenomenon that some lotus roots do not soften no matter how long they are cooked. This is actually related to the type of lotus root chosen and the preparation done in advance. Lotus roots, like apples, are actually divided into crisp lotus roots and softer ones. If you buy the wrong lotus roots, you can actually add some other ingredients to make them stewed.

Salt water immersion

The cells of lotus roots soaked in salt water will lose water because the concentration of external liquid is greater than that of cell fluid. After being salted and then boiled in water, the cells of the lotus roots will absorb water more easily and the lotus roots will be easier to cook. Therefore, you might as well soak the lotus root in salt water for a while before stewing it.

Baking Soda Pickling

After cutting into pieces, add an appropriate amount of baking soda and marinate for ten minutes before stewing. Put it directly into the pot without rinsing, which can help the lotus root become soft and rotten quickly. Note: Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate, alkali) can decompose into sodium ions, water and carbon dioxide gas under the action of acidic substances contained in food. The latter can make food fluffy and can be cooked into a mushy state. However, the reaction of baking soda releasing gas is completed in a very short time, and the initiation of the reaction is difficult to control. Using too much will produce bitterness or astringency.

Boiling water or cold water

Pour the lotus root into the cold water, and the nutrients and flavor of the lotus root will slowly seep into the soup, making the soup delicious. If boiling water is added, more of the nutrition and flavor of the lotus root will be sealed in the lotus root flesh. So, if you want the soup to taste good, use cold water, and if you want the lotus root to taste better, use boiling water.

Slow Cooker

If you choose the right variety, you will need to stew the lotus root for a longer time. After boiling, you need to simmer it in a stew pot over low heat for 2-3 hours. If you use a pressure cooker, 1-2 hours.

When choosing ingredients, you have to pay attention to the fact that there is a kind of lotus root that is crisp and will not become soft no matter how it is stewed; and there is a kind of lotus root that is soft. You should buy the soft red lotus root, which is very easy to stew. Pink lotus root is best used for making soup. Because the starch content of pink lotus root is relatively high, it will taste powdery after being used in soup. The skin of the crispy lotus root is light red, generally has many nodes, is short and fat, and after cutting, 11 holes can be seen. This kind of lotus root generally belongs to pond lotus root or field lotus root. It has a relatively low starch content and a crispy texture. It is more suitable for stir-frying or cold mixing, but not for making soup. Only the lotus root stewed with pink lotus root will be pink and rotten.