Whenever the weather is hot, nothing is better than having a lotus root mushroom soup or a lotus root red bean soup to refresh the body. This is also an attractive vegetarian dish for days of eating vegetarian. Let’s get cooking right away.
1. Lotus Root Mushroom Soup
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Preparation
30 minutes
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Cooking
30 minutes
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Difficulty
Easy
Ingredients for Lotus Root Mushroom Soup Serves 2
Lotus root 200 gr Fresh king oyster mushrooms 100 gr Fresh reishi mushrooms 100 gr Pea pods 100 gr Young corn 3 ears Tofu 1 piece Leek 1 stalk Ginger 1 piece Seasoning powder 1.5 tablespoons Salt 1 tablespoon Vinegar a little
How to choose fresh ingredients
How to choose fresh king oyster mushrooms
- For safety, you should buy mushrooms from reputable stores in the market.
- Do not buy mushrooms that are bruised or scratched on the outside.
- Avoid buying mushrooms that have wilted or turned yellow; these are mushrooms that have been left out for too long.
How to choose fresh green peas
Choose peas with a glossy skin, and when you snap the stem, the pea is crisp. Avoid selecting green peas with a wrinkled skin as those pods may not have good seeds or could be empty.
How to prepare Lotus Root Mushroom Soup
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Prepare the lotus root
Cut off the hard ends and gently peel the thin outer skin of the lotus root. Slice the lotus root into thin rounds.
To prevent the lotus root from turning black, soak the sliced lotus root in a bowl of cold water mixed with a little vinegar for about 15 minutes.
Then remove it and rinse the holes of the lotus root with water to clean off any dirt. For areas that can’t be cleaned, you can use chopsticks to thoroughly clean the holes of the lotus root.
If you feel the lotus root is still not clean, you can soak it in rice water, then rinse with clean water several times.
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Prepare other ingredients
Carrots washed, peeled, and cut into bite-sized pieces. Peas washed and removed the fibers on both sides. Leeks washed, cut a section between the stem and leaves, about 2 – 3 finger lengths.
Tofu cut into squares about 1 finger thick. Ginger peeled and sliced thinly. Young corn washed.
Reishi mushrooms and shiitake mushrooms washed under running water, gently rubbing the mushroom stems to remove dirt, cutting off the stems.
To completely eliminate impurities or parasites in the mushrooms, after washing them, mix a bowl of water with 1/2 tablespoon of salt and soak the mushrooms in the diluted saltwater solution for about 15 minutes, then remove, rinse thoroughly, and drain.
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Cook the soup
Place a pot of water on the stove and bring to a boil. Add 1.5 tablespoons of seasoning and 1/2 tablespoon of salt.
When the water is boiling, add the shiitake mushrooms, reishi mushrooms (enoki), young corn, lotus root, carrots, and the prepared leek roots. Keep on medium heat and boil for 15 minutes.
Then, add the peas, cut tofu, and sliced ginger. Continue cooking for another 15 minutes and then turn off the heat. Adjust the seasoning to taste.
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Final product
Lotus root mushroom soup is delicious and sweet from the natural sweetness of fresh vegetables, extremely nutritious and refreshing, making it a tasty vegetarian dish to cool down on hot days.
2. Lotus root red bean soup
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Preparation
6 hours 20 minutes
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Cooking
1 hour
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Difficulty
Easy
Ingredients for Lotus root red bean soup For 2 servings
Lotus root 150 gr Red beans 150 gr Fresh shiitake mushrooms 100 gr Dried snow mushrooms 50 gr Tofu 1 piece Carrot 50 gr Leek 1 stalk Soy sauce 2 tablespoons Seasoning granules 1 tablespoon
How to choose fresh ingredients
How to choose good red beans
- You should choose beans that are bright red, not infested with pests, and show no signs of mold or unpleasant odors.
- You should choose beans of moderate size so that after cooking, they achieve a soft texture and delicious nutty flavor.
How to choose fresh carrots
- Choose carrots that are straight in shape, have a smooth outer skin, bright color, and feel firm and heavy in your hand.
- You should not choose carrots that have leaves or branches at the base, with a thick, wide shoulder, as these are usually carrots with large cores, not sweet, and low in nutrients.
- Do not buy carrots that are misshapen, dark in color, bruised, or have unusual spots.
How to prepare Lotus Root Soup with Red Beans
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Prepare the lotus root
Cut off the hard ends and gently peel off the thin outer skin of the lotus root. Slice the lotus root into thin rounds for easy eating.
To prevent the lotus root from browning, soak the sliced lotus root in a bowl of cold water mixed with a little vinegar for about 15 minutes.
Then, remove it and rinse the lotus root under running water to clean out any dirt from the holes. For any areas that cannot be cleaned, you can use chopsticks to thoroughly clean the holes of the lotus root.
If you feel the lotus root is not clean, you can soak it in rice washing water, then rinse it multiple times with clean water.
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Prepare other ingredients
To remove the harmful phytic acid and to soften the red beans for easier cooking, soak the red beans in cold water for about 6 – 8 hours, then drain.
Soak the snow fungus in cold water for about 15 – 20 minutes until it expands, then drain. Cut off the mushroom stems and slice the mushrooms into bite-sized pieces.
Shape the carrots into flower petals and then cut them into thin rounds. Cut the tofu into bite-sized squares. Chop the leek into bite-sized pieces.
To completely eliminate impurities or parasites in the mushrooms, after washing the shiitake mushrooms, mix 1 bowl of water with 1/2 tablespoon of salt and soak the mushrooms in the diluted salt water solution for about 15 minutes, then remove, rinse thoroughly, and drain.
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Cook the soup
Place a pot of water on the stove and bring 1 liter of water (about 1 bowl) to a boil. Once boiling, add the lotus root and red beans to cook. Add 1 teaspoon of salt, lower the heat, cover the pot, and simmer for 30 minutes.
Next, add the shiitake mushrooms and carrots to cook. Add 1 tablespoon of soy sauce and 1 tablespoon of seasoning powder. Remove the lid and simmer for 10 minutes.
Add the tofu and snow fungus, turn the heat to medium, and cook for another 2 minutes.
Finally, add the green onions and turn off the heat. Adjust seasoning to taste.
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Final product
The lotus root and red bean soup is fragrant and sweet, with the creamy taste of red beans and the natural sweetness of various rich vegetables, delicious and nutritious.
How to choose fresh and delicious lotus root
- Choose lotus roots with thick and short segments. Such lotus roots will be just ripe enough to have a more delicious flavor.
- The longer the distance between the segments, the riper the lotus root will be; when eating this lotus root, it will usually be softer and perfectly cooked, more flavorful.
- It is advisable to choose lotus roots that still have a bit of moist mud because they are still fresh. Clean lotus roots without any mud have been processed and do not last long.
- Choose naturally ripe lotus roots, which usually have a yellow color and no strange odors. While lotus roots with very white skins may have been soaked in chemicals.
How to choose fresh and delicious shiitake mushrooms
- Choose shiitake mushrooms that are of moderate size, with short stems and tightly-cupped caps, having a yellow-brown color instead of dark brown.
- Do not choose shiitake mushrooms that are crushed, soggy, or have an unpleasant odor.
How to choose delicious tofu
- A good piece of tofu has an ivory white color, while tofu with gypsum usually has a more yellow color.
- The surface of the tofu is soft and has a fragrant smell from soybeans.
- Do not buy pieces of tofu that are a bit hard and have a lime smell.
- Additionally, to ensure safety and convenience, you can make tofu at home following TasteVN’s instructions.
See more:
- 2 ways to cook hot, delicious, attractive mushroom soup to treat the whole family
- 2 ways to cook fragrant and sweet straw mushroom soup, extremely delicious, to relieve meat and fish
- 3 ways to cook fragrant, sweet vegetarian mushroom soup that everyone loves
It’s really easy to make 2 ways to cook lotus root and red bean soup, isn’t it? On days when you get tired of meat and fish, let’s cook these 2 soups to cool down and refresh the whole family!
* Refer to the images and recipes from the YouTube channel Diệu Pháp Âm and Cooky TV.
