Dried lotus seeds have become a popular ingredient in many cultures and cuisines across Asia, particularly in countries such as China, Vietnam, India, Japan, and Korea. They have a long history of culinary and medicinal use in these regions, and today they become popular worldwide. For convenience, instead of buying fresh lotus seeds, many households choose to store dried lotus seeds and use them whenever needed. Therefore, let me show you how to cook dried lotus seeds and how to eat them by combining them with some other familiar ingredients.
What are lotus seeds and how dried lotus seeds are made?
Lotus seeds are the seeds of the lotus flower. The lotus plant is an aquatic perennial that is native to Asia but is also cultivated in other parts of the world.
From fresh lotus seeds, the process of making dried lotus seeds involves several steps:
- Harvesting: Lotus seeds are harvested when the lotus flowers bloom. The timing of the harvest is crucial, as it affects the quality and flavor of the seeds. Generally, harvesters collect them around 27 to 30 days after the lotus flowers bloom.
- Removal of Outer Shell: After harvesting, remove the seeds from the lotus flower’s seed pod. Simply peel away the outer shell or husk to expose the inner seed.
- Drying: A drying process is to remove moisture. These seeds are then dried through a process of sun-drying or using specialized drying machines.
- Packaging: Once the lotus seeds are adequately dried, they are packaged and prepared for distribution and consumption. Proper packaging ensures that the dried lotus seeds retain their quality and stay fresh for an extended period.
Dried lotus seeds have a distinct appearance and texture. They are small, round or oval-shaped seeds with a firm outer shell and a light-colored interior, and have a hard, crunchy texture. They are major in both several sweet and savory dishes, including soups, desserts, stir-fries, and snacks.
Nutrition facts and health benefits
In addition to their culinary uses, people value lotus seeds for their potential health benefits. They are a good source of protein, carbohydrates, and minerals, making them a nutritious addition to one’s diet.
Dried lotus seeds are not only delicious but also packed with essential nutrients. A 100g serving of dried lotus seeds provides approximately 350 calories, 63-68 grams of carbohydrates, and 17-18 grams of protein. They are also rich in minerals such as sodium, potassium, calcium, and phosphorus. Lotus seeds have a sweet taste and a neutral property according to traditional Chinese medicine. Regular consumption of lotus seeds can help nourish the spleen and calm the mind. They are beneficial for individuals with weakness, sleep problems, and high blood pressure.
How to cook dried lotus seeds?
Boiling is the most simple and popular method to cook dried lotus seeds but it also requires some preparation. After that, boiled lotus seeds can become a part in many other dishes. Let’s discover how to boil them on stove and in an instant pot/pressure cooker.
Boiling dried lotus seeds on the stove:
- Start by soaking the dried lotus seeds in hot water for at least 2 hours. This helps soften the seeds and reduce cooking time.
- After soaking, drain the water. Remember not to rinse the seeds with cool water because it makes the seeds become hard, so at least rinse them with warm water.
- In a pot, add water and bring the water to a boil. Once it starts boiling, add the lotus seeds.
- Reduce the heat to medium and simmer the lotus seeds for 30-45 minutes until they reach the desired softness. While simmering, skin the foam on top to easily observe the seeds. To test if they are cooked, you can smash a lotus seed between your fingers. It should be soft but still hold its shape.
- Finally, drain the water and the lotus seeds are ready to use in various recipes.
Cook in an instant pot/pressure cooker:
If you prefer a quicker cooking method, you can use an instant pot or pressure cooker:
- Add boiling water and the dried lotus seeds to the pressure cooker/instant pot.
- Close the lid and cook under medium pressure for 15-20 minutes.
- After the cooking time, release the steam and allow the lotus seeds to soak in the remaining heat for 10-15 minutes.
- Remove cooked lotus seeds from water.
The disadvantage of boiling lotus seeds in instant pot/pressure cooker is you can’t test the doneness of your lotus seeds on the go. It can easily lead to overcooked or undercooked seeds. Therefore, the timing I suggest above is to achieve medium-doneness, you should test the seeds to decide if you should cook them a bit more.
Cook in a steamer
- Beside boiling in regular or instant pot, you can also steam lotus seeds. This cooking method gives the best result that all the seeds are cooked evenly without tearing any seeds. The duration of steaming is similar to boiling in reguar pot, around 45 minutes on medium heat. To steam, line a cheesecloth in the steaming tray then pread soaked lotus seeds on.
If you don’t have time to soak the lotus seeds before cooking, you can still cook them without soaking. Simply follow the same process but increase the cooking time to 30 minutes. After cooking, continue to soak them for an additional 15 minutes.
Regardless the cooking method, there is an important note: you should not soak or rinse the seeds in cool/cold water before cooking. Always soak them in boiling or at least hot water. This is to prevent the seeds from being rough.
Keep them in fridge in maximum 3 days or freeze them up to 3 months. To incorporate cooked lotus seeds in another dish, take them out from fridge/freezer and add to th dish at the end of cooking processs, as they’re already cooked.
How to eat dried lotus seeds?
You can enjoy dried lotus seeds in various ways, as they add a unique texture and flavor to your dishes. In Japan and Korea, people use lotus seeds in traditional confectioneries like wagashi in Japan and yeot-gangjeong in Korea. In Vietnam and China, some well-known recipes are lotus seeds sweets, lotus seeds herbal soups or rice. Here are some suggestions to leverage this great ingredient in your daily meals:
Sweet Dishes
- Lotus Seed Dessert: Lotus seeds are a popular ingredient in sweets and herbal desserts. You can make a simple sweet syrup by boiling water with sugar, brown sugar or rock sugar, then add boiled lotus seeds to the syrup. Simply enhance the flavor by adding other ingredients such as red dates, lychee or longan. Always remember to add the boiled lotus seeds after the other ingredients are cooked and the water is boiling.
- Candied lotus seeds: Vietnamese people often enjoy candied lotus seeds as a traditional treat during the Lunar New Year holiday. To make them, they simmer lotus seeds with sugar syrup in a 1:1 ratio until they become dry with a sugar coat outside each lotus seed. These candied lotus seeds make for a delightful snack or gift.
- Lotus Seeds Paste as a Filling for Cakes: Lotus Seeds Paste is a traditional filling in China and used to be considered as a luxurious ingredient. The popular dishes with Lotus Seeds Paste are mooncake, snow skin mooncake, lotus seed bun or dimsum.
Savory Dishes
- Salad with cooked lotus seeds: Add cooked lotus seeds to your salads as a source of protein, carbohydrates, and other nutrients. They provide a satisfying crunch and can complement a variety of vegetables and dressings.
- Chinese herbal soup: Lotus seeds are a common ingredient in Chinese herbal soups. Try a Chinese herbal chicken soup recipe with lotus seeds, red dates, and carrots. The lotus seeds add a subtle sweetness to the soup, making it nourishing and delicious.
With their exceptional nutritional value and unique flavor, dried lotus seeds are a wonderful addition to any kitchen. So go ahead, experiment with different recipes, and enjoy the delicious and nutritious benefits of dried lotus seeds!
Cooking Dried Lotus Seeds
For convenience, instead of buying fresh lotus seeds, many households choose to store dried lotus seeds and use them whenever needed. Therefore, you need to cook dried lotus seeds first before using in other recipes.
Ingredients
- 1 kg lotus seeds
- 1 liter of water
- (Optional) A pinch of salt
Instructions
Boiling dried lotus seeds on stove:
- Start by soaking the dried lotus seeds in hot water for at least 2 hours. This helps soften the seeds and reduce cooking time. After soaking, drain the water. Remember not to rinse the seeds with cool water because it makes the seeds become hard.
- In a pot, add water and bring the water to a boil. Once it starts boiling, add the lotus seeds.
- Reduce the heat to medium and simmer the lotus seeds for 30-45 minutes until they reach the desired softness. While simmering, skin the foam on top to easily observe the seeds. To test if they are cooked, you can smash a lotus seed between your fingers. It should be soft but still hold its shape.
- Finally, drain the water and the lotus seeds are ready to use in various recipes. The boiled lotus seeds should be soft but not crushed.
- Incorporate with other ingredients, such as red dates or longan.
Lotus Seeds Sweet Soup with Red Dates
Cook in an instant pot/pressure cooker:
If you prefer a quicker cooking method, you can use an instant pot or pressure cooker:
- Add boiling water and the dried lotus seeds to the pressure cooker/instant pot.
- Close the lid and cook under medium pressure for 15 minutes.
- After the cooking time, release the steam and allow the lotus seeds to soak in the remaining heat for 10-15 minutes.
Because we can't open while the pressure cooker is cooking, it's unable to skim the foam, so the water is turbid. - Remove cooked lotus seeds from water. The disadvantage of boiling lotus seeds in instant pot/pressure cooker is you can't test the doneness of your lotus seeds on the go. It can easily lead to overcooked or undercooked seeds. Therefore, the timing I suggest above is to achieve medium-doneness, you should test the seeds to decide if you should cook them a bit more.
Cook in a steamer
- Beside boiling in regular or instant pot, you can also steam lotus seeds. This cooking method gives the best result that all the seeds are cooked evenly without tearing any seeds. The duration of steaming is similar to boiling in reguar pot, around 45 minutes on medium heat. To steam, line a cheesecloth in the steaming tray then pread soaked lotus seeds on.
- Keep them in fridge in maximum 3 days or freeze them up to 3 months. To incorporate cooked lotus seeds in another dish, take them out from fridge/freezer and add to th dish at the end of cooking processs, as they're already cooked.
Chicken Herbal Soup with Cooked Lotus Seeds.
Notes
If you don’t have time to soak the lotus seeds before cooking, you can still cook them without soaking. Simply follow the same process but increase the cooking time to 30 minutes. After cooking, continue to soak them in boiling water (boiling method) or leave them in steamer (steaming method) for 15 minutes more.
An important note: you should not soak or rinse the seeds in cool/cold water before cooking. Always soak them in boiling or at least hot water. This is to prevent the seeds from being rough.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 223