Fresh Lotus Root Meat Sandwiches
Fresh lotus root paired with minced meat, first fried in oil and then braised in a rich, red, savory sauce. The flavor transforms from light and mild to deeply fragrant and robust. Take a bite and you get the fresh aroma of lotus root, the umami of the meat, and the richness of the sauce, bringing an instant sense of satisfaction.
Ingredients
Steps
Wash the fresh lotus root and cut off both ends. Slice it at intervals of about half a centimeter, cutting one slice all the way through and the next slice not fully through, to form hinged lotus root “sandwiches.”
Mix the ground pork with a little cooking wine and oyster sauce until well combined.
Place the seasoned minced meat in the middle of each lotus root sandwich and gently squeeze by hand so the meat naturally fills the holes.
Combine flour and starch in about a 1:1 ratio, add a little water, and mix into a thick batter.
Coat the surface of the lotus root sandwiches with a layer of the thick batter. It doesn’t need to be too much—about as shown in the picture. Otherwise the flour coating will be too thick and will absorb too much oil during frying, which is not healthy.
Add a little oil to the pan and place in the lotus root sandwiches. Pan-fry until both sides are golden brown.
Return the fried lotus root sandwiches to the pan, add a little light soy sauce and water, cover with a lid and simmer for a few minutes. Then uncover and add sugar to taste (you can omit it if you prefer), reduce the sauce until it thickens, and just before removing from the pan add a little Maggi seasoning and sesame oil, then serve.