Braised Lotus Root with Doubanjiang: A Symphony of Deep Flavor and Beautiful Color
A Delicious Side Dish Made with Nutritious Lotus Root: Braised Lotus Root with Doubanjiang
Hello everyone! As they say, ‘Rice provides strength.’ Lotus root, often called the ‘pearl of the earth,’ is a beloved ingredient for its crunchy texture and abundant nutrients. It’s particularly rich in Vitamin C, which can help relieve fatigue and prevent colds. Today, we’ll be making a special lotus root dish using Doubanjiang, a type of Chinese soy sauce, to achieve a deep, rich color and exquisite flavor. This dish is perfect as a side for any meal or even in a bento box. Shall we create this wonderful dish together?
Main Ingredients- 380g pre-cooked lotus root (convenient as it’s already boiled)
- 2 cups water
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, prepare the ‘pre-cooked lotus root.’ Since it’s already boiled, you can use it directly in your cooking without needing to blanch it separately, making it very convenient.
Step 2
When you open the vacuum-sealed package of pre-cooked lotus root, you’ll find some water inside. Please discard this water.
Step 3
Soak the pre-cooked lotus root in cold water for about 10 minutes to remove any impurities. Then, rinse it thoroughly under running water three times. After rinsing, drain it completely in a colander.
Step 4
Now, let’s make the seasoning sauce that will determine the delicious flavor of your lotus root dish. In a bowl, combine 2 cups of water, 1/2 cup of soy sauce, 2 Tbsp cooking oil, 2 Tbsp oligosaccharide, 1 Tbsp sugar, and our star ingredient, 1+1/2 Tbsp Doubanjiang. Doubanjiang is a Chinese soy sauce with added caramel coloring, which will give your lotus root an appetizingly deep color. If you don’t have Doubanjiang, you can use soy sauce also called ‘Lao Chou’.
Step 5
Regarding the cooking oil in the seasoning ingredients, it’s perfectly fine to substitute it with other vegetable oils you have at home, such as canola oil or grapeseed oil. Using cooking oil helps prevent the lotus root from burning during the simmering process and contributes to a tender texture.
Step 6
Add the prepared seasoning sauce and the drained lotus root to a pot and bring it to a boil over high heat. Once it boils, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for a total of about 50 minutes. About 5 minutes before the end of the cooking time, add an additional 5 Tbsp of corn syrup.
Step 7
Sugar, oligosaccharide, and corn syrup each have slightly different sweetness profiles and flavors. Using them together creates a richer and more harmonious taste. The lotus root dish is complete when there’s still a little bit of sauce remaining, ensuring it stays moist and flavorful. If you reduce it too much, it can become dry, so turn off the heat when there’s still a bit of the braising liquid left.
Step 8
Finally, sprinkle some toasted sesame seeds generously over the dish for an added nutty aroma, and your braised lotus root is ready!
Step 9
Voila! Your appetizingly colored and deeply flavored Doubanjiang Braised Lotus Root is complete. This attractive side dish is sure to make you finish your bowl of rice in no time. Be sure to give it a try!
