My Pork-Stuffed Lotus Root is a unique recipe to serve during Lunar New Year! Lotus root symbolizes abundance and is often served during this time of year to celebrate. This easy recipe sandwiches a flavourful pork filling between two crunchy pieces of lotus root before being coated in cornstarch and egg and air fried. These look incredibly impressive but are so easy to make!
What is Lotus Root and What Does it Taste Like?
Lotus root is a tropical plant that grown throughout Asia and parts of the Middle East. The lotus root grow on an aquatic plant underwater in a chain-like fashion. When harvested from fall to early spring, the lotus root are separated from each other and are sold individually.
They are part of the rhizome of the plant and have a light brown skin. When sliced, they look stunning with their beautiful floral pattern— which is made up of air holes that allow the plant to grow underwater. Lotus root have an addicting crunchy texture and a mild taste when cooked.
What To Look for When Buying Lotus Root
Lotus root are in season from fall through to spring, but are often sold in Asian grocery stores year-round. When buying lotus root, you should look for the following qualities:
- Skin: The skin should be a light brown colour and be relatively smooth. A few nicks here and there are fine, but do not buy any that are punctured or are black.
- Firmness: The lotus root should be firm all the way around and have no soft spots.
- Free of Mold: The lotus root can get moldy if not stored correctly during shipping. Check the ends of the lotus root to ensure they are clean and that there is no white mold growing.
- Size: The size of the lotus root can vary, but for this recipe, buy a medium to large size lotus root.
An Easy Air Fryer Recipe
These Pork-Stuffed Lotus Root are so delicious and easy to make in an air fryer. I tested this recipe out using the air fryer setting on my oven and had excellent results. The lotus root was crispy and crunchy on the outside and the pork filling was perfectly cooked and juicy on the inside.
If you do not have an air fryer (or an air fryer setting on your oven), you can simply bake these Pork-Stuffed Lotus Root at 400 degrees F for 25 to 30 minutes. They will not be as crispy on the outside, but with how crunchy lotus root are, you will still get that great combination of textures.
For a finishing touch, I like to garnish these Pork-Stuffed Lotus Root with some chopped scallions and chili oil to add some spiciness. Serve these on a bed of rice with some stir fried vegetables for a complete meal!
More Lunar New Year Recipes
I hope that you enjoy this recipe! If you try it, let me know how you like it in the comments below! You can find additional Lunar New Year recipes on my blog like my popular Salt and Pepper Tofu and 10-Minute Chili Oil Noodles in my Lunar New Year Recipe Index!
Happy Lunar New Year! 🧧
Get the Recipe: Pork-Stuffed Lotus Root
Pork-Stuffed Lotus Root
Ingredients
For the Pork Filling:
- 1 pound lean ground pork
- 3 scallions finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon ginger finely grated
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce low sodium
- 2 tablespoons Shaoxing cooking wine
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
For the Lotus Root and Breading:
- 1 large lotus root peeled
- ¾ cup cornstarch
- 2 large eggs beaten
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
For Garnish:
- 1 scallion finely chopped
- Chili oil
Instructions
- Make the pork filling by combining all the filling ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Mix everything until combined and set aside.
- Peel the lotus root and slice into ½-centimetre thick slices. Coat each side of the lotus root slices in cornstarch. Dust off any excess cornstarch and repeat this process until all the slices are coated. Set aside on a clean plate.
- Add 2 to 3 heaping tablespoons of pork filling on top of one slice of lotus root and spread the filling to all edges of the lotus root. The amount of filling to add on will depend on the size of the lotus root slices, but the pork filling should be 1-centimetre thick. Place another slice of lotus root on top of the pork filling and gently press together to form a sandwich. Repeat this process until all the lotus root slices and pork filling has been used up.
- Turn on your air fryer to 400 degrees F. If baking in an oven, heat to 400 degrees F and line a baking tray with parchment paper and set aside.
- Beat the eggs with the remaining ¼ teaspoon of salt until combined in a bowl large enough to dip the lotus root into. Dip the stuffed lotus root into the egg to coat all sides and transfer to the parchment-lined baking tray or air fryer basket. Repeat this process until all the lotus roots are coated.
- Bake in the oven or air fryer for 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown. Once cooked, remove from the air fryer or oven and let cool slightly before serving. Garnish with chopped scallions and chili oil for a spicy kick!
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