THE CHINESE WATER GARDEN - Growing Chinese Vegetables in Your Own Backyard - page 177

CULINARY USES
All parts of the Chinese lotus are edible and can be eaten raw or cooked.
LEAVES . The young leaves can be added to a salad (gather only a few from each shoot).
Or simmer briefly, toss with Asian sesame oil, and serve as a green vegetable.
PETALS . Float the petals in clear consommé or cold fruit soup, or use as a garnish for
salads. You can dry the petals to enjoy them out of season.
SEEDS . The seeds can be dried and eaten out of hand like sunflower seeds or, in tradi-
tional Japanese fashion, pickled. Pickled lotus seeds are a classic ingredient in stir-fry
dishes.
ROOTS . The root is by far the most widely used part of the vegetable. It's easily recog-
nizable in any dish because slicing reveals the characteristic pattern of the air channels.
Even when dipped in batter and fried as tempura, the pattern is clearly visible. Once
you have acquainted yourself with the flavor, you'll think of many ways to use lotus
root. I predict it will soon be as popular in your kitchen as in an Asian one. Other uses
for the root are:
• Combine lotus root with shrimp, snow peas, and mushrooms for a quick but el-
egant company dish.
• Try adding sliced lotus root the next time you make sweet and sour pork; the
sauce is particularly compatible with this fascinating vegetable.
Arrowhead
C I G U , C HEE K OO
Sagittaria sagittifolia
(color photo, page xvi)
Arrowhead is a beautiful bog plant, native to temperate regions throughout the world.
This Asian species is much more widely used in Japan but also has its place in Chinese
cuisine. It is also known by the names Chinese arrowhead, swamp potato, and kuwai.