Lotus Root (Renkon) (2024)

FAQs

What is the rhizome of the lotus root? ›

Lotus root is the edible rhizome (the subterranean stem) of the lotus plant, a perennial aquatic plant that grows beautiful pink-hued or white flowers. Native to Asia, Australia, New Guinea and parts of the Middle east, lotus plants grow in the mud of shallow ponds, marshes, lagoons, and flooded fields.

Renkon tastes mildly sweet; it absorbs other flavors well, though, which makes it well-suited to stir-fries and braised dishes that have other sauces and ingredients that have a more assertive flavor.

Renkon is often translated as “lotus” in English, which means eight. True to its name, the renkon normally has eight or nine holes that are used to transport water to the surface. The holes are a good indicator of healthy growth and boast a unique configuration including smaller holes in the middle for respiration.

An oblong, tubular rhizome that grows underground in water, renkon (蓮根・れんこん) or lotus root resembles thick white sausage links. When sliced, it has symmetrical air pockets patterned into a pinwheel shape. It has a dense and crunchy texture similar to water chestnut or taro.

Sour and sweet in taste, Lotus Rhizome Node can aid digestion, restrain abnormal discharges of fluids from the body, such as diarrhoea and heavy sweating. The herb can also slow down acute reactions, detoxify the body and has a tonic effect on the body by replenishing qi and blood.

Like many vegetables, the lotus root tastes good raw, boiled, fried, and in soups, so you have a lot of options. Peel the whole root before slicing it thinly. Alone, the ingredient has a mellow flavor, but it can easily absorb whatever spices and sauces you're working with.

Common in Japan and greater Asia, renkon's attractive pattern makes it a useful vegetable for creating visually appealing dishes. It is not usually eaten raw, but peeled and boiled in water.

Renkon (Lotus Root)

Throughout Asia, it is enjoyed in soups and stews, fried to make delicious chips, added to stir fries, and even blanched and added to salads. It has lots of health benefits, from improving digestion to lowering blood pressure.

Because lotus root can oxidize after it is exposed to the air, we typically submerge it in the water with a little bit of vinegar or pickled in a vinegared sauce. This helps to remove any astringent taste and prevent the root from turning brown.

Lotus root has complex carbs, several nutrients, minerals, vitamins, and fibre, which provide numerous health benefits. As a result, it aids in weight management, digestion, immunity, excretion, and inflammation healing. It also improves stress management by improving blood circulation and heart health.

Do Japanese eat lotus root? ›

It's a common ingredient in Japanese and Southeast Asian cooking, used in salads, stir-fries, steamed dishes, soups, and even tempura.

The braised root slices look like garnishes but are actually really tasty to eat. Lotus roots are tough, so you first need to prepare them properly. You can actually eat the roots raw but for this recipe we soak and blanch before braising them. Soaking them removes excessive starch.

Pregnancy and breast-feeding: There isn't enough reliable information to know if lotus is safe to use when pregnant or breast-feeding. Stay on the safe side and avoid use. Surgery: Lotus might interfere with blood sugar control during and after surgery. Stop using lotus at least 2 weeks before a scheduled surgery.

Lotus Stem also known as lotus root it is a root vegetable from India and China, used widely in Indian, Chinese and Japanese food. They are the edible parts of the lotus flower which is found under water. It is usually crunchy and is fairly sweet and has a flavor like water chestnut.

Lotus Root, also known as Sacred Lotus and Nilufer etc.; belongs to Nelumbonaceae family. Its Scientific Name is Nelumbo nucifera. It is called Mrinal Moolam in Sanskrit and Kamal Kakadi in Hindi.

Whole flowers, petals and seed pods can be used as dried floral crafts. Lotus is propagated by the division of rhizomes and seeds. Rhizomes with new sprouts are cut into small pieces having at least three nodes. Seeds are scarified at both the ends for early germination.

The lotus root is a “rhizome,” meaning the root grows horizontally as a line of interconnected root stubs connected by “nodes.” So when you are viewing raw lotus root in the food store, you are actually seeing one root stub (internode) of many interconnected internodes that feed the lotus flower.

In botany and dendrology, a rhizome (/ˈraɪzoʊm/; from Ancient Greek ῥίζωμα (rhízōma) 'mass of roots', from ῥιζόω (rhizóō) 'cause to strike root') is a modified subterranean plant stem that sends out roots and shoots from its nodes. Rhizomes are also called creeping rootstalks or just rootstalks.

Rhizomes are underground stems that grow on the soil surface. They grow horizontally and function as the organs of asexual reproduction and food storage. Rhizomes consist of nodes which develop roots and shoots that are growing perpendicularly to the ground. Each piece of rhizome with a node can grow into a new plant.