Sweet Lotus root slices stuffed with sticky rice

Oh-so pretty and wonderfully tasty, prepare this lotus root dish at home.

On the exterior, it resembles something close to a parsnip, but once you slice into a lotus root its many holy cavities give it a gorgeous appearance. Packed with nutrients and vitamins, its super healthy as well as tasty.

Lotus roots come into season in autumn so it’s the perfect time of year to get to know this awesome ingredient. This classic Southern Chinese recipe prepares the lotus root with sticky, aromatic rice stuffed into its tubes. It’s incredibly simple to prepare and you’re guaranteed the wow factor when serving it up to your friends! You’ll be able to source all the ingredients from any Chinatown London supermarket like SeeWoo or New Loon Moon.

Recipe

1. Rinse your prepared sticky rice then soak with clean water for 1 hour or you can leave it in the fridge overnight.
2. Drain the water then mix 2 tablespoons of white sugar into the sticky rice.
4. Peel the rind off your lotus roots and slice the top off (about an inch or two) from one end of the lotus root. This will be your lid. 
5. Get your sticky rice and carefully squeeze it all the way down into the lotus root cavities. Use a chopstick to do this.  
6. Replace the lid and secure with cocktail sticks until it’s secure and tight.
7. Place your lotus root in a saucepan of hot water along with the brown sugar, white sugar and dates.
8. Bring it to the boil and then simmer for around 20 minutes. Flip the lotus roots and continue simmering for 15 to 20 minutes.
9. Once cooked, transfer it to a chopping board and allow to cool. To serve, cut the stuffed lotus roots into 1cm slices and drizzle with osmanthus syrup or honey.