White lotus seed

1773

VSF_WLS

Lotus seeds as snacks in popular in Vietnam. Fresh seeds will come during summer season. The fresh one to peel and eat, dry one for cooking. Two types of dried lotus seeds can be found commercially; brown peel and white. White lotus seeds are de-shelled and de-membraned. The bitter tasting germ of the seed is also removed at the time of harvest using a hollow needle, though some may still remain in the seed due to production oversight. Brown peel lotus seeds are brown because the ripened seed has adhered to its membrane. These seeds are usually cracked in half in order to remove the germ since the seeds are hard enough to make the germs removal by needle difficult. The seeds are most commonly sold in the shelled and dried form. Dried lotus seeds that are sold in packages or in bulk at many Asian markets must first be soaked in water overnight prior to use due to their hardness and toughness. They can then be added directly to soups and congee, or used in other dishes. Fresh lotus seeds are sold in the seed heads of the plant and eaten by breaking the individual seeds out of cone shaped head. The soft rubbery shell that surrounds each seed should be removed before consuming. Crystallized lotus seeds, made by drying lotus seeds cooked in syrup, are a well-loved Chinese snack and are eaten especially near Chinese new year. The most common use of the seed is in the form of lotus seed paste, which is used extensively in Chinese pastries. The paste is also used in Japanese cuisine, as an ingredient in cakes and other dessert items. In Vietnam, the bitter tasting germs of the lotus seeds are also made into a tisane