Lotus Seed Paste with Egg Yolk — Apparently the most traditional of fillings, lotus seed paste is also the most expensive. It is also often paired with a salty egg yolk center which symbolized the moon. It`s an acquired taste, quite savory and salty. What do water lotus seeds taste like? Water lotus seeds have a flavour that is mild, and slightly sweet. They kind of taste like a cross between pine nuts and green almonds. Water lily seeds (makhana) have been snacked on in India for centuries. lotus seed mooncake In a pot, add the lotus seeds and 4 cups of water (the water level should be above the lotus seeds). Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat. Once the water reaches a boil, turn the heat to low, and let the seeds simmer for 30 minutes. It’s done once the lotus seeds are softened but have maintained their shape. A lotus seed or lotus nut is the seed of plants in the genus Nelumbo, particularly the species Nelumbo nucifera. The seeds are used in Asian cuisine and traditional medicine. Mostly sold in dried, shelled form, the seeds contain rich contents of protein, B vitamins, and dietary minerals.
Two types of dried lotus seeds can be found commercially; brown peel and white. The former is harvested when the seed head of the lotus is ripe or nearly ripe and the latter is harvested when the seed head is still fully green but with almost fully developed seeds. White lotus seeds are de-shelled and de-membraned.
This produces a lotus paste that is tan coloured with a satiny sheen, which is rich, sweet, and silky with a slight fragrance of caramel. Some cooks choose to treat the dried lotus seeds with a lye solution before initially stewing them in order to shorten their cooking time. Lotus paste is used in Chinese cuisine as a filling for mooncake, baozi, and other sweet pastries. Another common use of lotus paste is as a filling for lotus seed buns, a dim sum item.
At harvest, the bitter-tasting germ of most seeds is removed using a hollow needle. Brown peel lotus seeds are brown because the ripened seed has adhered to its membrane. The germ of these hard seeds is removed by cracking the seeds in half.
The lotus paste used by most Chinese cooks requires further preparation by dry cooking the sweetened paste over heat with caramelized sugar and vegetable oil. Read more…
