I love eating lian ou (莲藕, lotus root) in season. In Taipei, the long, bulbous stems are harvested in the early spring, and in July, I’ll see vendors at the neighborhood market peddling the roots on tarps— often with wet mud still clinging to their rinds, hauled from the bottom of the ponds that morning. They taste so fresh you can actually eat them raw with the peel on— I’m especially partial to cold slices of lotus root dressed in sesame oil and vinegar.

But my absolute favorite way to cook lotus root has got to be in a classic stir-fry. For this recipe, the steps are simple, but the flavors are complex because of the combination of two umami-packed ingredients: fermented black beans (see notes below) and chili bean paste. Restaurant cooks will flash-fry the lotus root quickly in oil, but you can just pan-fry them— it’ll develop those browned, caramelized edges that add to the dish’s flavor.

What is lotus root?

Lotus roots (lian ou 莲藕) are the edible stems/rhizomes of the lotus plant. From the ground, you can see their beautiful flowers blooming, but under the water’s surface, buried in the mud of the pond, the stem grows into bulbous, potato-like tubers, connected in segments sort of resembling sausage links. They’re very popular in Chinese cooking and other south-eastern Asian cuisines, as they have a unique texture. Each bite is simultaneously crisp and starchy, and they retain their crunchiness even after cooking.

In the United States, you can find lotus roots in most Asian grocery stores like 99 Ranch and H-Mart— they are usually sold in 1 lb packs in the produce section, next to the yams and potatoes. Pick fresh-looking roots with light, even-colored skin; avoid grayish roots that look bruised or discolored.

In terms of nutrition, lotus roots are high in dietary fiber, and rich in potassium and iron. They are also high in vitamin B and vitamin C (one lotus root contains more than half the recommend daily vitamin C intake), and in traditional Chinese medicine, they’re considered cooling in nature and nourishing in yin (relieving heat in the body), deemed an excellent choice to eat in the summer.

Cooking Note

This stir-fry employs a Sichuan cooking technique called hui guo 回锅, or “twice-cooked”: which is traditionally associated with a pork dish. The main ingredient is cooked first (either parboiled or fried), then returned to the wok and cooked briefly a second time to combine with the rest of the aromatics and seasonings. Unlike some methods that involve adding water or a starch-thickened sauce, the lotus root slices here should be piping hot and dry, with the sauce lightly coating their surface.

Ingredients:

One large or two small lotus root, peeled and scrubbed. Be sure to rinse the inside crevices thoroughly. About 2 cups after sliced.

Note: if you can’t find lotus root in your local stores, you can substitute potato! The texture will be very different, but I’ve found the flavors in this recipe work really well with fried potato.

Green pepper— I recommend using Anaheim or Cubanelle variety of green peppers, as they have thinner skin than regular globe-shaped bell peppers and flavor-wise are still mild/sweet but have much more flavor. (Also called jian jiao, 尖椒).

Garlic— three to four cloves, finely chopped.

Sichuan chili bean paste*— this is called pixian douban 郫县豆瓣, and it’s the same spicy bean paste used in Sichuan dishes like mapo tofu. You can sub any other black bean/chili bean paste that you have in your pantry.

Dried fermented black beans*—dou chi (豆豉). These are black, wizened-looking soy beans that have been fermented; they give off a sharp, pungent whiff and have a very salty, umami-rich and slightly bitter taste. They’re sold in small packages in Chinese grocery stores. *These two ingredients are important for the flavor of this dish, but if you can’t find both, just use what you have, plus an extra dash of soy sauce/tamari when cooking.

Dried red chilies— just a few dried chilies, snipped in half and seeds shaken out. Make sure you use the mild Chinese kind, not the hotter Mexican chiles. They’re more for flavor here than for heat.

A pinch of sugar and salt, to season.

Steps for cooking:

1. Prep the ingredients: peel the lotus root and cut them with a sharp knife into thin, ⅛-inch slices. Thinly slice the green peppers to match. Finely chop the garlic.
2. Heat a skillet over medium-high flame, and add enough oil to cover the bottom. When oil is shimmering but not yet smoking, place shallow-fry lotus root slices in a single layer. Fry, flipping once, until both sides are browned and nicely caramelized on the edges. You may need to do this in two batches. Set aside.
3. Heat the same pan over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon oil, swirling to coat. Add dried chilies and fermented black beans, frying briefly until aromatic. Add the garlic and the dollops of chili bean sauce, and fry until garlic is aromatic (but not burned!) and chili sauce has released its red oil. Add in the sliced peppers and stir-fry for 20 seconds, then increase the heat to high and add the lotus root from step 1. Toss briefly to just coat, then season with sugar and additional salt to taste. Continue to stir-fry for one more minute until everything is piping hot and smells delicious. Turn off heat. Transfer everything to a dish, and enjoy.

Other Chinese stir-fries:

• Pan-Fried Tofu with Black Bean Sauce
• Sichuan Dry-Fried Green Beans
• Stir-Fried Eggplant and Green Beans

If you made this dish let me know how you liked the recipe by leaving a comment and a rating below. Or tag me on Instagram @hannah__chia, I love seeing your re-creations!

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📖 Recipe

Stir-Fried Lotus Root with Garlic and Black Bean (豆豉炒藕片)

★★★★★

5 from 1 reviews

A fragrant and savory Sichuan-style Chinese lotus root stir fry with green pepper, garlic, chili sauce, and fermented black beans— makes an irresistible side dish on the table. Serve with steamed rice. 

• Author: Hannah
• Prep Time: 13
• Cook Time: 7
• Total Time: 20 minutes
• Yield: 4
• Category: Stir-Fries
• Method: Cook
• Cuisine: Chinese
• Diet: Vegan

Ingredients

• 10 oz (274g) fresh lotus root, peeled (about 2 cups sliced)*
• Cooking oil
• One Anaheim green pepper (185g), or sub a green bell pepper, sliced into thin ¼-inch rounds
• 3–4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp Sichuan chili bean paste (doubanjiang)
• 1 tbsp dried fermented black beans (dou chi),  soaked in 1 tablespoon warm water
• 3–4 dried red chilies, snipped in half and seeds shaken out
• ½ tsp sugar
• ¼ tsp salt, or to taste
• 1 tbsp cooking oil

Instructions

1. Prep the ingredients: peel the lotus root and cut them with a sharp knife into thin, ⅛-inch slices. Thinly slice the green peppers to match. Finely chop the garlic.
2. Heat a skillet over medium-high flame, and add enough oil to cover the bottom. When oil is shimmering but not yet smoking, place shallow-fry lotus root slices in a single layer. Fry, flipping once, until both sides are browned and nicely caramelized on the edges. You may need to do this in two batches. Set aside.
3. Heat the same pan over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon oil, swirling to coat. Add dried chilies and fermented black beans, frying briefly until aromatic. Add the garlic and the dollops of chili bean sauce, and fry until garlic is aromatic (but not burned!) and chili sauce has released its red oil. Add in the sliced peppers and stir-fry for 20 seconds, then increase the heat to high and add the lotus root from step 1. Toss briefly to just coat, then season with sugar and additional salt to taste. Continue to stir-fry for one more minute until everything is piping hot and smells delicious. Turn off heat. Transfer everything to a dish, and enjoy. 

Notes

• I recommend using the narrow/tapered Anaheim or Cubanelle variety of green peppers, as they have thinner skin than regular globe-shaped bell peppers and flavor-wise are still mild/sweet but have much more flavor.
• You may find that you don’t need the additional salt at the end– it depends on the chili bean paste you’re using, some brands are more salty than others.
• *If you can’t find lotus root in your local stores, you can substitute potato! It’ll be an entirely different dish with different textures, but the green peppers and Sichuan flavors in this recipe are equally delicious paired with fried potato. 

I’ve made many different versions of cauliflower wings but this Korean-inspired one is my new favorite— they’re reminiscent of BBQ wings but spicier and funkier, with just the right amount of heat. The magic lies in the sauce, a sweet tangy glaze made of gochujang (Korean chili paste), maple syrup, sesame oil, vinegar, garlic, and ginger.

The cauliflower florets are drenched in a simple batter of flour + liquid (gluten-free option in notes below) and baked until golden brown and crisp. Then they’re coated in the gochujang glaze and baked a second time until the exterior caramelizes to a sticky, glossy crisp.

Gochujang is a fermented chilli paste that comes in a tub, typically made of glutinuous rice flour, soybeans, and gochugaru (red pepper flakes); you can typically find it in the international section of a grocery store, in an Asian grocery store, or online here.

I included two dipping sauce options, one a creamy ranch dip and the other a yogurt-based one (I personally prefer the yogurt— the tanginess really cuts through the heat and saltiness of the wings).

If you made this recipe let me know how you liked it by leaving a comment and a rating below. Or tag me on Instagram @hannah__chia, I love seeing your re-creations!

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📖 Recipe

Spicy Korean Cauliflower Wings (Vegan)

Korean-style cauliflower wings, battered and drenched in a spicy, tangy glaze gochujang maple glaze and baked until caramelized. Spicy and finger-licking good.

• Author: Hannah
• Prep Time: 10
• Cook Time: 50
• Total Time: 1 hour
• Yield: 3
• Category: Sides & Appetizers
• Method: Cook
• Cuisine: Korean

Ingredients

Cauliflower + Batter

• 1 small to medium head of cauliflower
• ½ cup unsweetened non-dairy milk
• ½ cup water
• ½ cup all-purpose flour or rice flour*
• ½ tsp gochugaru (red pepper flakes, optional)

Maple Gochujang Glaze

• ¼ cup gochujang paste**
• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• ½ tbsp tamari or soy sauce
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp minced ginger
• 2 cloves garlic, minced (or ½ tsp garlic powder)
• ¼ tsp each salt and pepper
• water to thin (if necessary)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 450F (232C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Remove leaves from cauliflower and cut into bite-sized florets.
2. Whisk all batter ingredients together in a mixing bowl, adding water slowly at a time until it achieves the desired consistency– the batter should be pourable, but thick enough to stick on the cauliflower. Dip each floret into the mixture and coat evenly, and shake to remove excess. Arrange florets on baking sheets (they shouldn’t be touching) and bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown, then remove from oven.
3. While florets are still baking, whisk together sauce ingredients. Dip each baked floret into the sauce until coated, shake well to remove excess, and place back onto the baking sheet. Reduce heat to 400F (200C), and bake florets for an additional 12-15 minutes until caramelized.
4. Remove from oven and let cool, then garnish with chopped scallions and toasted sesame seeds. Serve immediately, with optional dipping sauces (see below).

Notes

• If using rice flour (for gluten-free option), you may need to add a bit more water to the batter.
• YOGURT dip: whisk together 1 cup vegan yogurt + 1 tablespoon lemon juice + 1 teaspoon garlic powder + ½ teaspoon sea salt
• RANCH dip: whisk together 1 cup vegan mayo +  1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar + ½ cup unsweetened dairy milk + ½ teaspoon garlic powder + ¼ teaspoon sea salt + 2 teaspoon fresh chopped parsley

As a bonus, this delicious cauliflower entree is packed with nutrients, protein, fiber. It’s perfect for a nourishing weekday meal or a dinner party.  The recipe involves a few more steps than usual, but I think the result is well worth the process!

Two sauces may seem like a lot, but they’re necessary for the flavor and I highly recommend making both. Plus, if you follow the recipe, you’ll have leftovers— which is a very good thing, since they taste good drizzled on salads, pasta, rice dishes, toast, basically any savory dish.

📖 Recipe

Roasted Cauliflower Steak with Sweet Potato Purée and Lentils (Vegan, Gluten-Free)

★★★★★

5 from 2 reviews

Crispy caramelized roasted cauliflower “steaks” served on a bed of lentils and sweet potato puree with a creamy tahini garlic sauce and a tangy chimichurri. Garnished with cilantro and toasted pepita seeds.

• Author: Hannah
• Prep Time: 20
• Cook Time: 40
• Total Time: 1 hour
• Yield: 2
• Category: Main Dishes
• Method: Cook

Ingredients

Cauliflower

• 1 large head cauliflower
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp maple syrup
• ¼ tsp salt
• ½ tsp each ground cumin, smoked paprika, and turmeric (optional: add ¼ tsp cayenne for heat)

Sweet Potatoes

• 1 lb (2-3 large or 454 g) sweet potatoes
• 1 tbsp tahini

Lentils

• 1 15 oz (425 g) can cooked lentils*
• ½ tsp each cumin and garlic powder

Tahini Sauce

• ⅓ cup (85g) tahini
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• 3 tbsp lemon juice
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• 4–5 tablespoon water
• 1 pinch salt

Cilantro Lime Sauce

• 1 small bunch cilantro (sub parsley)
• 3 cloves garlic
• ½ a jalapeño pepper (for heat)
• 3 tbsp lime juice
• ½ the flesh of a medium avocado (sub 1 tbsp olive oil)
• 2 tbsp water
• ½ tsp each salt and pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400F (205 C). Slice cauliflower into 1-inch steaks, leaving the large stem at the bottom. (There will be loose florets; you can roast these in the pan along with the steaks).
2. Place cauliflower steaks on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, drizzle on olive oil and maple syrup, and rub to coat both sides, then sprinkle on salt and the spices. Bake for 25 minutes, flipping once halfway, until tender and browned on both sides.
3. In the meantime, steam sweet potatoes until soft and fork-tender. Instant pot option: place steamer basket and water in the base of the pot, add whole sweet potatoes, and cook using the manual setting on HIGH for 15 minutes. Allow pressure to release naturally.
4. Peel cooked sweet potatoes. Add the 1 tablespoon tahini and mash with a fork (or purée in a food processor) until combined and smooth.
5. Prep sauces. For tahini sauce, whisk all ingredients in a small bowl until combined. Add as much water as needed to achieve desired consistency. For green sauce, combine all ingredients in a food processor/blender and blend until smooth.
6. Combine cooked lentils with spices and season with salt and pepper to taste.
7. To serve, spoon a layer of sweet potato puree onto plate, then top with lentils, a cauliflower steak, and both sauces. Garnish with chopped cilantro and toasted pepita seeds.

Notes

*I used pre-cooked lentils for convenience, but you can also cook your own from ¾ cup dried lentils. Simply cover with water, bring to a boil over medium heat in a pot, reduce to a simmer, and cook until lentils are tender, about 15-20 minutes.