Sweet lotus root with sticky rice (糯米藕)
Sticky, fragrant & mildly sugary, sweet lotus root with sticky rice is one of the best ways to prepare this attractive vegetable.
Servings: 3 servings
Ingredients
- 70 g glutinous rice ⅓ cup, see note 1
- 2 section lotus roots see note 2
- 80 g dark brown sugar or dark muscovado 1/2 cup
- 10 dried Chinese dates optional
- Sweet Osmanthus sauce or honey
Instructions
Stuff the root
- Soak glutinous rice in water for at least 2 hours. Drain well.
- Peel the lotus root. From one end of each section, slice off the top 1-2 cm to serve as lids.
- Fill all the holes of the lotus root with the rice. Pushing it down with a chopstick from time to time to make sure the holes are tightly packed.
- Place the “lids” back on. Use a few toothpicks to secure the lids (be careful not to break the flesh of the roots).
Cook the root
- Put the stuffed root into a small saucepan. Add dark brown sugar, Chinese dates and water (enough to cover the roots completely).
- Bring the water to a full boil. Turn the heat down to low. Leave to simmer for 2 hours. Flip the roots and add more hot water halfway through (see note 3 for pressure cooker method).
- Leave the root to cool in the water.
Serve the root
- Transfer the roots to a chopping board. Remove the toothpicks. Cut the roots crosswise into slices (0.5-1cm thick).
- Boil about 100 ml of the cooking liquid until it thickens. Pour it over the lotus root slices.
- Add Sweet Osmanthus sauce or honey them serve.
Notes
1. Please be aware that the amount of glutinous rice needed may vary a little depends on the size of your lotus roots.
2. Choose large sections of lotus roots as they have bigger holes for stuffing in more glutinous rice.
3. You may use a pressure cooker if available. Cook at high pressure for 30 mins. Allow the pressure to be released naturally then open the lid.
