Cherry & Dennis Helper Habitat

Hot and Sour Lotus Root Cubes

酸辣藕丁

Hot and Sour Lotus Root Cubes — finished dish

Total time: 35 min
Difficulty: Medium
Servings: 4 servings

Recipe overview

Small lotus-root cubes are blanched, then quickly glazed with chilli, garlic and vinegar.

01

Ingredients

Main ingredients

450 g lotus root
1 pieces red chilli
3 cloves garlic cloves
2 stalks spring onions

Hot-sour glaze

1.5 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tsp sugar
2 tbsp water

Lotus-root frying oil

1 tbsp cooking oil

Hot and Sour Lotus Root Cubes — ingredients

02

Tools

kitchen knife
cutting board
mixing bowl
lidded soup pot
sieve
wok
spatula
measuring spoons
serving plate

Hot and Sour Lotus Root Cubes — tools

03

Steps

Hot and Sour Lotus Root Cubes — Wash and peel root, then cut open and check holes for grit

Step 1

Wash and peel root, then cut open and check holes for grit

Wash and peel root, then cut open and check holes for grit.

Hot and Sour Lotus Root Cubes — Rinse holes clean and cut root into one-centimetre cubes

Step 2

Rinse holes clean and cut root into one-centimetre cubes

Rinse holes clean and cut root into one-centimetre cubes.

Hot and Sour Lotus Root Cubes — Keep cubes briefly in cold water while preparing other ingredients

Step 3

Keep cubes briefly in cold water while preparing other ingredients

Keep cubes briefly in cold water while preparing other ingredients.

Hot and Sour Lotus Root Cubes — Mince garlic and chop onions; deseed and finely slice chilli

Step 4

Mince garlic and chop onions; deseed and finely slice chilli

Mince garlic and chop onions; deseed and finely slice chilli.

Hot and Sour Lotus Root Cubes — Mix rice vinegar, soy sauce, sugar and two tablespoons water

Step 5

Mix rice vinegar, soy sauce, sugar and two tablespoons water

Mix rice vinegar, soy sauce, sugar and two tablespoons water.

Hot and Sour Lotus Root Cubes — Boil water in a separate pot and add drained cubes

Step 6

Boil water in a separate pot and add drained cubes

Boil water in a separate pot and add drained cubes.

Hot and Sour Lotus Root Cubes — Boil four to five minutes until cooked but crisp, then drain

Step 7

Boil four to five minutes until cooked but crisp, then drain

Boil four to five minutes until cooked but crisp, then drain.

Hot and Sour Lotus Root Cubes — Heat oil and fry garlic and chilli over medium-low for thirty seconds

Step 8

Heat oil and fry garlic and chilli over medium-low for thirty seconds

Heat oil and fry garlic and chilli over medium-low for thirty seconds.

Hot and Sour Lotus Root Cubes — Add root cubes and toss over medium heat for two minutes

Step 9

Add root cubes and toss over medium heat for two minutes

Add root cubes and toss over medium heat for two minutes.

Hot and Sour Lotus Root Cubes — Add glaze and toss two minutes until reduced to a thin coating

Step 10

Add glaze and toss two minutes until reduced to a thin coating

Add glaze and toss two minutes until reduced to a thin coating.

Hot and Sour Lotus Root Cubes — Add onions, mix and check no cubes are raw-hard

Step 11

Add onions, mix and check no cubes are raw-hard

Add onions, mix and check no cubes are raw-hard.

Hot and Sour Lotus Root Cubes — Spoon onto a shallow plate and spread out for serving

Step 12

Spoon onto a shallow plate and spread out for serving

Spoon onto a shallow plate and spread out for serving.

Common mistakes

Large pieces need longer than four minutes; burnt garlic makes the dish bitter.

Tips

Uniform cubes cook evenly during blanching. Confirm the family accepts the heat level and wash hands after handling chilli.