Steamed Lotus Root Balls
Steamed lotus root balls is an elegant looking dish suitable as an appetiser or a side dish. It is a slightly sticky ball mixed with prawns (shrimps), gingko nuts and green peas. Pour dashi flavoured sauce over them to eat.You can make vegetarian version of steamed lotus root balls by replacing prawns with other vegetables (see note 7 for suggestions). And use konbu dashi (see Varieties of Dashi Stock).Each ball is about 5cm (2") in diameter.
- Prep time
- 15 min
- Cook time
- 10 min
- Yield
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- MEDIUM
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 200 g (0.4lb) fresh lotus root
- 3 medium size prawns peeled, (deveined and cut into small pieces (note 1))
- ½ tbsp frozen green peas
- 4 boiled ginkgo nuts ((note 2))
- a pinch of salt
- 100 ml (3.4oz) dashi stock
- ½ tsp light soy sauce ((note 3))
- 1 tsp sake
- 1 tsp cornflour/corn starch diluted in 1 tsp water
- 4 mitsuba leaves ((note 4))
Instructions
- 1
Peel the skin of the lotus root and grate very finely (note 5). Put the grated lotus root in a bowl.
- 2
Put aside 4 prawn pieces and 4 green peas and add the rest of them to the bowl.
- 3
Add a pinch of salt to the bowl and mix well.
- 4
Divide the mixture into 4, ensuring that prawns and peas are evenly divided.
- 5
Take one portion of the mixture and make a ball. Place one of the reserved prawn pieces, a green pea and a ginkgo nut on the top of the ball, press down gently to embed half way.
- 6
Lightly press the ball to flatten a bit and place it on a steaming plate (note 6). Repeat to make 3 more balls.
- 7
Turn the steamer on. When steam starts coming up, place the plate of lotus root balls in the steamer. Steam over high heat for 10 minutes with the lid on.
- 8
Turn the heat off, remove the balls onto serving plates. Pour the sauce over the balls and place mitsuba on top or side if using. Serve immediately while hot.
- 9
Add the Sauce ingredients except the corn flour mix in a small sauce pan and heat over high heat. When it starts boiling, add the corn flour mix in swirling motion and mix quickly. The sauce will thicken. As soon as it starts boiling again, turn the heat off.