The idea that our favorite greens might run out has turned most of us who are left in Beijing into hoarders of sorts, stocking up on the usual suspects from broccoli to lettuce, red onions and the like, and go ballistic when they run out at our local groceries.

But usually, we might not be quite as good at fully utilizing the culinary resources made available to us in a country with such a rich culinary history and culture as China. For the most part, we might pick up a strange veg or two, or entirely bypass the ‘Chinese’ section at the grocers. But truth be told, those very same veggies that you might be overlooking because they are either too strange-looking might be just what we all need now.

With families all over the city in various states of self-quarantine, the danger might then be that junk food is a quick and satisfying alternative to waimai and cooking elaborate meals. But this outbreak won’t last forever. And as they say, a moment on the lips, a lifetime on the hips. An extended ‘cheat’ week might have a less than desirable outcome. But what if I told you, you could recreate your favorite snacks with some of those ‘strange-looking’ Chinese veggies you might tend to overlook?

Lotus Root Chips

Lotus root or 莲菜 (liancai) is one of the more common vegetables in the root species when it comes to Chinese cuisine. If you have been to a hotpot or MaLaTang restaurant, then you have probably enjoyed this root vegetable in a variety of stews and boiled configurations. One main complaint with those who have tried it is that it doesn’t have a strong flavor profile. But this simply means that it is an excellent blank slate onto which you can infuse any sort of flavor you prefer. It is also characterized by its signature holed pattern when sliced into, making it not only a delicious snack but a beautiful one at that.

Ingredients

• 1 lotus root  (1 lotus root = 1/2 lb)
• Rice vinegar (see recipe below)
• neutral-flavored oil (vegetable, canola, etc) (for deep frying)
• Himalayan Pink Salt (or sea salt)
• Aonori (dried green seaweed) (optional)

Preparation

1. Rinse the root thoroughly, after which you can either use a mandolin slider or a knife to slice the root into 1/8 inch slices. Peeling the root is optional. If you choose to leave the skin, then it might add to the overall appearance of the finished product
2. Just like most other root vegetables when sliced, the lotus root is also prone to turning color and blackening when left too long. In order to avoid this, add a few drops of rice vinegar to some water and soak the lotus root for about five to ten minutes, after which you should thoroughly rinse and drain the water. Pat dry, preferably with kitchen paper towels.
3. Heat your oil in a pan, using one slice to test the perfect temperature in which to fry the Lotus root. Drop the one slice in, and if it floats, the oil is ready. Fry the lotus root until golden and crispy. You can either choose to place them on a rack or on a paper towel to drain off excess oil, after which you should season with the condiments available.

Please note that the sea and Himalayan salts are optional and you can choose to flavor your chips with chili flakes, or a bit of regular table salt. And there you have your delicious, easy to make snack that will take you no more than twenty minutes to make. Enjoy!

Photos: pupswithchopsticks.com, Pixabay

The color of food serves as a great compliment in culinary art, but in traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), it can also act as a guide to eat accordingly in different seasons for health reinforcement.

In TCM, food is categorized into five colors according to its nature and complimentary function. Usually, Black foods are best for winter, green for spring, red for summer, yellow for late summer and white for autumn.

As we might have noticed, Beijing’s autumn can be quite dry and easily bring damage to our digestive system and cause coughing and sore throat. The following are some of the most popular white foods that are believed to be the best remedies to not only relieve coughing but also help to nourish our skin.

Pear
If an apple a day keeps the doctor away, you may also consider to add a pear in autumn. In TCM, autumn is a season to nourish the lung when the lung energy becomes dominant. Pear is considered to have a cold and nourishing nature that helps to balance the yang in our body and prevents dryness. Eat it raw if you like but it functions better in treating coughing when cooked in soup.

White fungus
White fungus is also called snow fungus. It is similar in texture to the black fungus which is commonly used in Chinese cold dish and hot pot. White fungus is commonly cooked in sweet soups, with pear or papaya. The taste is refreshing and women love it because it also helps to nourish the skin. It is worth mention that white fungus can help reduce lung damage from smoking too.

Lily bulbs
Beautiful lily is more than just an ornamental flower. Lily bulb, which is typically gathered in the autumn, cleaned, then sun dried, is one of the most suitable autumn recipes.  The moisture nature of lily bulbs can help calm the uneasiness sprit during seasonal change. It can be cooked sweet together with other ingredients such as white fungus and honey, or quick fried with celery and garlic.

Lotus seed
Lotus seed can be purchased in both Chinese grocery stores and pharmacies. It has similar function with the above ingredients but with a stronger cold nature. If you have a fever or a sour throat from eating spicy food, lotus seed can quickly suppress the heat, but it may cause diarrhea from having too much.  For general health care in autumn, we suggest you adding less than a handful of lotus seeds and make a sweet soup with pear, white fungus and lily bulbs. The trick is to use crystal sugar (cold nature) instead of regular sugar, and to cook slowly with gentle fire.

Lotus root
Yes, lotus does us tremendous benefits. Its root is not only edible, but also delicious. You can cook lotus root in many ways: steam it, stew it, or fry it.  It has strings in it after you slice it off, which looks like spider net to me. The best dish that I like it to be cooked is stew it with chicken.

Yam
Yams with peel look like a rusty, yet wooden rod, that’s why many Chinese people would call it “Iron Rod Yam”. It is usually steamed to eat. The texture is starchy, without quite any flavor, but many Chinese people love dipping it with sugar to eat. When you peel it, be very careful of its mucus, it can cause you irritated skin and make you feel very itchy.

White Bean
This kind of bean is much bigger than regular beans that we see every day. It tastes very starchy. People boil it with pepper and aniseed, the flavor is ok. You can take it as staple food.

Water Chestnut
Indigenous to Southeast Asia, fresh water chestnuts need to be peeled from its muddy coating, or you can use it in stuffing. It’s good for clearing your lung. Very good for smokers. You can take it as fruit.

We hope you enjoy a better autumn with the white food. However, do not get obsessed with only the white. The fundamental theories about TCM are all about balance, and life is supposed to be colorful.