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July 15, 2014

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Lotus seed summer soups offer cooling refreshment

THE lotus is not just a flower to admire. Its seeds also provide an ingredient for healthy eating, and one of the most popular summer dishes where it features is sweet soup.

According to traditional Chinese medicine, lotus seeds are “neutral” — neither a hot nor cold influence on the body. The seeds are said to nourish the heart, strengthen the lungs, invigorate the spleen and replenish the kidneys. They are often used to treat heart palpitations, insomnia, fatigue and other ailments.

Sweet soup is a summer ritual for many Chinese cooks. It is traditionally served cold.

First, the seeds are soaked in clean water, and then their shells are removed before they are steamed for about an hour until soft. The softened seeds are then boiled in a pot of clean water, with some sugar added. The mixture should be stirred constantly until the water boils.

The soup can be stored in the refrigerator. It is often eaten with some ice cubes added to give it a refreshing coolness to beat the summer heat.

Lotus seed can also be used in a soup made with jujubes, or red Chinese dates, and tremella, or snow fungus.

It’s easy to make. First, soak the tremella, lotus seeds, jujubes, red beans, peanuts and a lily root in clean water for several hours. Then put them all into an electric cooker with some water. Cook for two hours, or until the ingredients are soft and the soup thickens. Add some rock sugar to the mix. The soup can be stored in the refrigerator.

Because of the sugar content, people of high glycemia should go sparing on lotus seed soups.




 

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