Lotus Seed Dessert is a common dish across Asian countries such as China, Singapore, and Vietnam. It is believed to have health-enhancing effects, especially for women. Indeed, the common ingredients in Lotus Seed Sweet Soup like lotus seeds, jujube, longan, goji berries, snow fungus, etc., are all highly nutritious. If you are looking for an idea to cook your dried lotus seeds, try this simple Lotus Seed Dessert Recipe.

The Ingredients and Health Benefit of Lotus Seed Dessert

According to ancient records, Lotus Seed Dessert, when combined with other herbal ingredients, is known as a beauty care dessert for women, helping to make the skin smooth, bright, and rosy. Let’s explore the health benefits of some of its common ingredients:

Lotus Seed

Lotus seeds offer a valuable combination of protein, carbohydrates, and minerals, making them a nutritious choice for your dietary needs. A 100-gram portion of dried lotus seeds provides approximately 350 calories, 63-68 grams of carbohydrates, and 17-18 grams of protein. Additionally, they are rich in essential minerals for a person, including sodium, potassium, calcium, and phosphorus. According to traditional Chinese medicine, lotus seeds have a sweet taste and neutral properties. Consistent consumption of lotus seeds can contribute to spleen nourishment and mental tranquility, making them particularly beneficial for individuals dealing with weakness, sleep issues, and high blood pressure.

Other Ingredients

Jujube, or Red Date: Red dates, also called jujubes, are small and sweet fruits that have been used in Chinese medicine for centuries. Bursting with antioxidants, they serve as a natural defense against free radicals and oxidative stress. Moreover, they can promote liver health and enhance the immune system. They are believed to enhance blood circulation and fortify the spleen as well.
Longan: This is a tropical fruit popular in Southeast Asia and Southern China. In Vietnam, it is grown mainly in the North, especially in Hung Yen Province. It offers several potential health benefits thanks to its nutrient-rich composition. It contains vitamins (such as vitamin C and vitamin A), minerals (like potassium and iron), and antioxidants that may help combat oxidative stress, boost the immune system, support heart health, improve digestion, and promote skin health. While it provides valuable nutrients, it should be consumed in moderation to avoid excessive sugar intake because it’s highly sweet.
Snow fungus: Snow fungus also known as Tremella fuciformis, is an edible fungus believed to promote skin health, boost the immune system, and offer antioxidant benefits. Commonly used in Chinese cuisine, it is a source of dietary fiber, vitamins, and minerals, with potential blood sugar regulation and anti-inflammatory properties.

Combining Ingredients into Lotus Seed Dessert

As can be seen from the popular ingredients to combine with Lotus Seed in Dessert, all of them are high in vitamins, protein, minerals, and antioxidants. That’s why it is considered a beauty-care dessert. You are free to choose some of those to turn them into a dessert that is not only delicious but also nutritious. In my opinion, 2 or 3 ingredients from the list above are enough for a Lotus Seed Dessert, but you can absolutely combine more. I selected 120g (around 4 oz) of lotus seeds and 60g (around 2 oz) of jujube as they were available in my kitchen. Besides, you’ll need a bit of honey or sugar (~2.5 tbsp or more, depending on your preference) to add 600ml (2.5 cups) of sweet soup. Let’s make it.

Instruction on Making Lotus Seed Sweet Soup

Step 1. Preparation

To cook Lotus Seed Dessert, prepare the ingredients first. Soak the lotus seeds in boiling water for at least 2 hours. If you are using jujube, soak it for 1-2 hours. For goji berries, chia seeds, and snow fungus (if any), soak them for 30 minutes. If you are using fresh longan, peel the outer skin and remove the seeds. For dried longan, you don’t need to soak it; you can add it directly to the dessert later.
After soaking for 2 hours, lotus seeds absorb water and double in size. It’s time to go to next steps. For the other ingredients, after soaking, remove them from the water and set them aside.

lotus seed dessert — Lotus seeds double in size after soaking.

Step 2. Cooking Lotus Seeds

To cook lotus seeds, you can boil them in a regular pot, instant pot, or pressure cooker, or steam them. I recommend boiling because it’s quicker, and for the dessert, which is different from lotus seed paste or candied lotus seeds, the high amount of water in cooked lotus seeds doesn’t matter. Please refer to another post of mine on how to cook lotus seeds for a detailed guide on boiling lotus seeds. Usually, it takes 30-45 minutes to reach the desired softness for dessert.
Once cooked, remove the boiled lotus seeds from the water and set them aside. Discard the boiling water because it is often cloudy, which can make your dessert look unappetizing.

Step 3. Cooking Sweet Soup

In a pot, add 600-700 ml (2.5-3 cups) of water and bring it to a boil. When it starts boiling, add around 2.5 to 4 tbsp of rock sugar, granulated sugar, or honey, depending on your sweetness preference, and stir until it all dissolves. Taste it again.
For cooking the other ingredients, depending on the ingredients you choose, gradually add them to the pot. The order is: snow fungus (30 minutes), then goji berries, jujube, and longan (5-10 minutes). Skim off any foam that forms while cooking to achieve a clear sweet soup.
Finally, return the cooked lotus seeds to the pot and turn off the heat. If you have fresh ingredients such as longan, add them after turning off the heat. Add soaked chia seeds if any at the end.

Step 4. Serve Lotus Seed Dessert

You can serve Lotus Seed Sweet Soup warm or cold, depending on the season. In autumn and winter, I prefer it warm, but in hot summer, I enjoy it cold. You can also add some dried chamomile to garnish the dessert.
To store the dessert, pour the remaining dessert into small bottles or closed containers and keep it in the fridge for no more than 5 days. You can take a bottle to enjoy daily as a supplement to improve your health. Freezing is also an option; however, try to consume it as fresh as possible to absorb all the nutrients.

Very easy, isn’t it? Try making it and you’ll not regret!

Lotus Seed Dessert

Lotus Seed Dessert is a common dish across Asian countries such as China, Singapore and Vietnam. It is believed to have health-enhancing effects, especially for women.

4.80 from 5 votes

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Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Asian

Keyword: lotus seed dessert

Cook Time: 45

Total Time: 45

Servings: people

Calories: 210kcal

Author: Keep Up Cooking

Equipment

Ingredients

120 g dried lotus seeds 4 oz
60 g jujube (red date) 2 oz
2 tbsp goji berries Optional
30 g snow fungus 1 oz, Optional
2 tbsp chia seeds Optional
20-30 fresh/ dried longans Optional
2.5 – 4 tbsp of sugar

Instructions

Step 1. Preparation

To cook Lotus Seed Dessert, prepare the ingredients first. Soak lotus seeds in boiling water for at least 2 hours. If you use jujube, soak it in 1-2 hours. For goji berries, chia seeds and snow fungus (if any), soak them in 30 minutes. With Fresh Longan, peel the outer skin and remove the seeds; with dried longan, you don’t need to soak it but directly add it into the dessert later.
After soaking in 2 hours, lotus seeds absorb water and double in size. It’s time to go to next steps. For other ingredients, after soaking, remove them from water and set aside.

Step 2. Cooking Lotus Seeds

To cook lotus seed, you can boil in regular pot, instant pot, or pressure cooker, or steam it. I recommend boiling because it’s more quickly, and for the dessert, different from lotus seed paste or candies lotus seeds, the high amount of water in cooked lotus seeds doesn’t matter. Please refer another post of mine, how to cook lotus seeds, for detailed guide in boiling lotus seeds. Usually, it takes you 30-45 minutes reach the desired softness for dessert.
Once cooked, remove boiled lotus seeds from water and set aside. Throw away the boiling water because it is often cloudy, making your dessert look unappetizing.

Step 3. Cooking Sweet Soup

In a pot, add 600-700 ml (2.5-3 cups) water and boil it. When it starts boiling, add around 2.5 to 4 tbsp of rock sugar/ granulated sugar or honey, depend on your sweetness preference, and stir until all dissolves. Taste again.
Cooking other ingredients: Depend on the ingredients you choose, gradually add them into the pot. The order is: snow fungus (30 minutes), then goji berries, jujube, longan (5-10 minutes). Skim the foam while cooking to achieve a clear sweet soup.
Finally, return cooked lotus seeds to the pot, and turn off the heat. If you have fresh ingredients such as longan, add it after turning off the heat. Add soaked chia seeds if any in the end.

Step 4. Serve Lotus Seed Dessert

You can serve Lotus Seed Sweet Soup warm or cold following the season. In autumn and winter, I enjoy it to be warm, but cold in hot summer. You can add some dried chamomile to garnish the dessert as well.

Notes

To store, pour the dessert in small bottles or closed containers and keep it in fridge no later than 5 days. You can take a bottle to enjoy daily as a supplement to improve your health. Freezing them is also available; however, try to consume them as fresh as possible to absorb all the nutrients.

Nutrition

Serving: 200g | Calories: 210kcal

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