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Preparation
30 minutes
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Processing
30 minutes
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Difficulty
Easy
The sweet taste of lotus root combined with the spicy flavor creates a very attractive lotus root kimchi dish, both familiar and unique, especially suitable for Tet holiday. Today, let’s cook to make sweet and sour lotus root kimchi at home that is extremely simple.
Ingredients for Lotus Root Kimchi For 4 people
Lotus root 400 gr Lotus shoots 300 gr Water spinach 150 gr (take the stems) Carrot 150 gr Chili 5 pieces Garlic 1 bulb Vinegar 165 ml Fish sauce 3 tablespoons Sugar 300 gr Salt a little
How to choose fresh ingredients
How to choose fresh lotus roots
- Select lotus roots with large and short segments. Such lotus roots will be ripe enough and have a better delicious flavor.
- The longer the distance between the segments, the riper the lotus root; when eaten, this lotus root tends to be soft and cooked evenly, tasting better.
- You should choose lotus roots that still have a bit of moist mud because they are fresher. Clean lotus roots that have no mud at all have likely been processed and won’t last long.
- Choose naturally ripe lotus roots that are usually yellow and have no strange smell. In contrast, lotus roots with overly white skin may have been soaked in chemicals.
How to choose fresh lotus shoots
- You should choose lotus shoots with stems that are neither too thick nor too thin.
- The stems of the lotus shoots should be dark and still muddy because these are clean and safe to use.
- Avoid buying lotus shoots that are too white or have very thick stems, as these may have been bleached and can negatively affect health when consumed.
How to choose fresh water spinach
- Prioritize selecting bundles of water spinach with stems only as thick as a rice eating chopstick, avoiding those with abnormally large stems. The tips should be small and look a bit stiff.
- Choose water spinach with tender stems; when you press them with your fingers, they should leave a mark.
- Avoid choosing water spinach that looks overly lush; when you snap the stem, it should be very crispy, and the leaves should be dark green.
How to choose fresh and delicious carrots
- Choose those that are of moderate size, straight and elongated towards the tail, with smooth skin, feel firm in hand and slightly hard.
- Choose carrots that are bright, deep orange in color, with fresh green tops firmly attached to the body of the carrot.
- Avoid carrots with wilted or bruised tops, damaged bodies, slimy texture, and signs of bruising, which feel soft when pressed.
See details: How to choose fresh carrots
How to make Lotus Root Kimchi
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Prepare the ingredients
First, prepare a bowl of water mixed with a little salt and 1 teaspoon of vinegar (about 5ml).
Next, peel the lotus root and cut it into thin slices suitable for eating.
For the lotus shoots, wash them clean and break them into pieces about the length of one finger.
Then, soak the lotus root and shoots in the salted vinegar water to prevent them from turning black and to keep them crunchy. Soak the lotus root and shoots until ready to prepare, then take them out.
How to prepare crunchy lotus root and shoots- You can soak the lotus root and shoots in rice washing water, as the starch in the rice water can help absorb dirt and remove mud and sap from the lotus root and shoots.
- Or you can soak them in water mixed with a bit of vinegar because vinegar makes the lotus root and shoots whiter.
- Soak the lotus root and shoots in diluted saltwater to clean them.
Peel the carrots, wash them clean, then cut the carrots into strands or carve flowers.
Pick the water spinach leaves, wash them clean, then cut them into pieces about 1 hand span long.
Peel the garlic, finely chop it along with the chili.
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Blanch the vegetables
To blanch the vegetables, boil water with 1 teaspoon of vinegar.
Add the lotus root to the pot to boil until the water comes back to a boil, then take it out and immediately put it into a bowl of cold water mixed with 1 teaspoon of vinegar to keep the lotus root white and crispy.
Next, add the water spinach stems to the pot of vinegar water, blanch quickly, and take them out to place in the bowl of cold water.
Then, remove the lotus root and water spinach stems to let them drain well.
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Making Pickled Fish Sauce
To make the pickled fish sauce, add 300g of sugar, 150ml of vinegar, and 3 tablespoons of fish sauce into a pot and stir until the sugar dissolves.
Cook until the fish sauce mixture boils, then turn off the heat and transfer it to a bowl to let it cool completely.
Once the pickled fish sauce has cooled, add minced garlic and chili.
Tip: You can adjust the ingredients to suit your family’s taste.
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Mixing Kimchi
Add the drained vegetables into a large pot (or clean basin), pour the pickling liquid over them, and mix thoroughly with your hands.
Next, cover tightly and let the kimchi soak for 1 hour.
After 1 hour, mix again and continue to cover and let it soak for another hour to ensure even flavor.
After 2 hours of soaking, the lotus root kimchi is ready; transfer it to a jar for later use.
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Final product
So we have completed the delicious lotus root kimchi dish. Although there are many variations of kimchi, crispy and tasty lotus root kimchi is definitely one of the choices you should not miss.
Lotus root kimchi served with white rice or noodles is also very delicious. This is definitely a dish that will make your family meal more enjoyable.
How to succeed
- You need to ensure that the lotus root and lotus stems are not bruised or blackened. They must be white, and only then will they remain crispy when eaten.
- Ensure that the kimchi-making utensils are clean and sterilized by thoroughly rinsing them with boiling water before use.
- The ingredients for making kimchi must be fresh, delicious, and free from spoilage or chemical contamination.
- Kimchi must be kept at the appropriate temperature to ferment well and not spoil during the fermentation process.
How to store lotus root kimchi
- Put the kimchi in a container that has been sterilized, seal it tightly, and place it in the refrigerator fridge.
- Divide the kimchi into several small containers. Minimize opening the containers multiple times to avoid the food being exposed to air, which will cause the kimchi to spoil quickly.
- Keeping kimchi in glass containers will keep it cold longer and be safer than plastic containers or plastic bags.
See more:
- How to make delicious and simple sweet cabbage kimchi to change the taste for Tet
- How to make simple vegetarian chili kimchi for spice lovers
- How to make crispy and chewy water spinach kimchi, spicy and new, easy to make
It is easy to succeed with the delicious and appealing lotus root kimchi. This dish changes your family’s menu so it doesn’t get boring. Wishing you success in making it!
* Refer to images and the recipe from the YouTube channel Ghiền nấu ăn
