LOTUS ROOT RICE SALAD WITH KOHLRABI RAGOUT
Prep Time
25 minutes
Total Time
55 minutes
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Ingredients
For the lotus root rice salad
30g lotus root, sliced into 1cm thick rounds slices
120g basmati rice
240ml water
2 tomatoes, cut into a small dice
1 spring onion, sliced very thinly on the bias
1 sprig of mint, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon pine nuts, toasted
Juice of one lime
For the kohlrabi ragout
One small kohlrabi, peeled and cut into 2cm cubes
4 cups vegetable stock
130g green beans, roughly cut into 2cm slices
30g mixed salad leaves
1 teaspoon pumpkin seeds
½ teaspoon black onion seeds
1 red bell pepper, cut into a small dice
12 pitted green olives
For the balsamic onions
2 red onions, cut into thin slices
1 tablespoon demerara sugar
200ml balsamic vinegar
1 cup water
Directions
For the lotus root rice salad
1. Place a 10inch square piece of foil onto a tray, drizzle with olive oil then lay the lotus root slices on top followed by another drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of sea salt and black pepper.
2. Wrap up the package into a tight bundle then bake for 25 minutes in the oven at 200°c/400°f, take out of the oven and set aside.
For the rice salad
1. Place the rice into a tub of water and cover with cold water, let sit for 5 minutes then strain and give the rice a quick rinse.
2. Bring the 240ml water to a boil, add the rice and a touch of salt. Give the rice a stir then lower the heat to a simmer, cover with a lid and cook for 12 minutes. After the rice is cooked take off the heat and let sit for 5 minutes. Mix in the tomatoes, green onions, mint, pine nuts and lime juice then fluff up with a fork.
For the kohlrabi salad
1. In a medium sized roasting pan, add the kohlrabi and vegetable stock. Roast in the oven for 30 minutes at 175°c/350°f, give them a stir halfway through cooking.
2. Towards the last 5 minutes of cooking add the green beans. Take out the pan, drain any vegetable stock away then leave to cool down.
3. When thoroughly chilled, mix in the salad leaves, pumpkin seeds, onion seeds, peppers
and olives.
For the balsamic onions
Using a medium sized pot on low heat, add all the ingredients, bring to a boil then simmer until the liquid has almost all evaporated, this should take roughly 35 minutes.
Recipe Note
The fascinating looking Jingtang Lotus Root was discovered over 800 years ago in a lotus pond in the village of Jingtang in northern Guangzhou, China! The root contains both fiber and carbohydrates which when worked together help the body’s cholesterol and blood sugar. Eaten raw, the taste is relative to celery and slightly sweet. In this dish, Brad has slightly baked it which aids in a slightly more concentrated flavour and sweetness
to it.
