Stir-Fried Lotus Root with Garlic & Black Bean (豆豉炒藕片)

A fragrant and savory Chinese stir-fry. Crisp, crunchy lotus roots cooked with mild green peppers, fermented black beans and chili bean paste, inspired by a Sichuan homestyle dish.

I love eating lian ou (莲藕, lotus root) in season. In Taipei, the long, bulbous stems are harvested in the early spring, and in July, I’ll see vendors at the neighborhood market peddling the roots on tarps— often with wet mud still clinging to their rinds, hauled from the bottom of the ponds that morning. They taste so fresh you can actually eat them raw with the peel on— I’m especially partial to cold slices of lotus root dressed in sesame oil and vinegar.

But my absolute favorite way to cook lotus root has got to be in a classic stir-fry. For this recipe, the steps are simple, but the flavors are complex because of the combination of two umami-packed ingredients: fermented black beans (see notes below) and chili bean paste. Restaurant cooks will flash-fry the lotus root quickly in oil, but you can just pan-fry them— it’ll develop those browned, caramelized edges that add to the dish’s flavor.

What is lotus root?

Lotus roots (lian ou 莲藕) are the edible stems/rhizomes of the lotus plant. From the ground, you can see their beautiful flowers blooming, but under the water’s surface, buried in the mud of the pond, the stem grows into bulbous, potato-like tubers, connected in segments sort of resembling sausage links. They’re very popular in Chinese cooking and other south-eastern Asian cuisines, as they have a unique texture. Each bite is simultaneously crisp and starchy, and they retain their crunchiness even after cooking.

In the United States, you can find lotus roots in most Asian grocery stores like 99 Ranch and H-Mart— they are usually sold in 1 lb packs in the produce section, next to the yams and potatoes. Pick fresh-looking roots with light, even-colored skin; avoid grayish roots that look bruised or discolored.

In terms of nutrition, lotus roots are high in dietary fiber, and rich in potassium and iron. They are also high in vitamin B and vitamin C (one lotus root contains more than half the recommend daily vitamin C intake), and in traditional Chinese medicine, they’re considered cooling in nature and nourishing in yin (relieving heat in the body), deemed an excellent choice to eat in the summer.

Cooking Note

This stir-fry employs a Sichuan cooking technique called hui guo 回锅, or “twice-cooked”: which is traditionally associated with a pork dish. The main ingredient is cooked first (either parboiled or fried), then returned to the wok and cooked briefly a second time to combine with the rest of the aromatics and seasonings. Unlike some methods that involve adding water or a starch-thickened sauce, the lotus root slices here should be piping hot and dry, with the sauce lightly coating their surface.

Ingredients:

One large or two small lotus root, peeled and scrubbed. Be sure to rinse the inside crevices thoroughly. About 2 cups after sliced.

Note: if you can’t find lotus root in your local stores, you can substitute potato! The texture will be very different, but I’ve found the flavors in this recipe work really well with fried potato.

Green pepper— I recommend using Anaheim or Cubanelle variety of green peppers, as they have thinner skin than regular globe-shaped bell peppers and flavor-wise are still mild/sweet but have much more flavor. (Also called jian jiao, 尖椒).

Garlic— three to four cloves, finely chopped.

Sichuan chili bean paste*— this is called pixian douban 郫县豆瓣, and it’s the same spicy bean paste used in Sichuan dishes like mapo tofu. You can sub any other black bean/chili bean paste that you have in your pantry.

Dried fermented black beans*—dou chi (豆豉). These are black, wizened-looking soy beans that have been fermented; they give off a sharp, pungent whiff and have a very salty, umami-rich and slightly bitter taste. They’re sold in small packages in Chinese grocery stores. *These two ingredients are important for the flavor of this dish, but if you can’t find both, just use what you have, plus an extra dash of soy sauce/tamari when cooking.

Dried red chilies— just a few dried chilies, snipped in half and seeds shaken out. Make sure you use the mild Chinese kind, not the hotter Mexican chiles. They’re more for flavor here than for heat.

A pinch of sugar and salt, to season.

Steps for cooking:

1. Prep the ingredients: peel the lotus root and cut them with a sharp knife into thin, ⅛-inch slices. Thinly slice the green peppers to match. Finely chop the garlic.
2. Heat a skillet over medium-high flame, and add enough oil to cover the bottom. When oil is shimmering but not yet smoking, place shallow-fry lotus root slices in a single layer. Fry, flipping once, until both sides are browned and nicely caramelized on the edges. You may need to do this in two batches. Set aside.
3. Heat the same pan over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon oil, swirling to coat. Add dried chilies and fermented black beans, frying briefly until aromatic. Add the garlic and the dollops of chili bean sauce, and fry until garlic is aromatic (but not burned!) and chili sauce has released its red oil. Add in the sliced peppers and stir-fry for 20 seconds, then increase the heat to high and add the lotus root from step 1. Toss briefly to just coat, then season with sugar and additional salt to taste. Continue to stir-fry for one more minute until everything is piping hot and smells delicious. Turn off heat. Transfer everything to a dish, and enjoy.

Other Chinese stir-fries:

• Pan-Fried Tofu with Black Bean Sauce
• Sichuan Dry-Fried Green Beans
• Stir-Fried Eggplant and Green Beans

If you made this dish let me know how you liked the recipe by leaving a comment and a rating below. Or tag me on Instagram @hannah__chia, I love seeing your re-creations!

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