Just for fun Lotus

[Johns]

If any of you has had the lotus buying experience from pond supply stores and paid $45-$50 for a lotus, here's a way to get a pretty cheap lotus:  go to an oriental food store and buy some fresh lotus root, but plant them rather than eat them.  You may be surprised at what you get!

[Jerry]

another money saving tip from the man who knows!

[LynneNY]

Have you done this, and do you have any pictures to share?  We don't have any Asian food stores around here, but I would seek one out if this really works.

[LynneNY]

OK!  After trying all day, I found 2 Asian stores on the other side of the Hudson River, where my parents live, who say they always carry fresh lotus roots.  I will be at my parents in 2 weeks.

What should I look for in these roots, and will they really flower for me?!?  Do you know what color flowers they might be - from the roots that are usually sold as food?  Any special planting tips?

Thanks!

[Vickie]

 Johns will they have growing tips? I thought they had to have growing tips or they die? I don't plant any lotus without growing tips.

[miguynmkoi]

I love to eat lotus roots and the ones here in Asian supermarkets are all seedless and supposedly gassed or something so that they cannot grow any more and the seeds are sucked out of the tubes. 

[Danny]

I always look for lotus tubers at Chinatown.  However, there is no growing tip on the tubers.

FYI--Lotus seeds are not in the tuber, they are in the lotus pod. 

Danny

[miguynmkoi]

FYI--Lotus seeds are not in the tuber, they are in the lotus pod.

AHAAAA!  No wonder!

[matherfish]

I do not think they have growing tips on the ones sold for food. Not sure why, except to keep them from "going bad" before cooking. Also, I do not think the ones raised for food are the ones we raise for blooms. Same family, but different, or so I have been told. Do not know about being sprayed with anything to keep them from growing, but with no growing tips they will not grow. And yes, seeds are in the bloom heads, often used in dried flower arrangements. That may be what is sprayed to help preserve the pod, and if their are seeds there it may keep them from growing. However, most of the time, when seeds are ripe they simply fall out of the pod so they may be sprayed with a glue or something similar to keep them in the pod, if they are there.

[Mikey]

Annette: How do you prepare lotus tubers?

[PondmaninAL]

First, she looks for seeds. Takes her a while to realize that they're not there.

Sorry, I couldn't resist.


 

[miguynmkoi]

Every time I walk by the tubers in the supermarket I always think, if I could get my hands on a growing tuber..... You got me , Scott! 

Mike, if you find the fresh tubers - sliced thinly - raw with salads or stir-fry with your choice of meat or veges; larger slices or diced - cook in broth for soup.  If the tuber is very fresh and served in large pieces (in soup) every bite you take will pull out what looks like thin threads almost like silk.  As kids we would see who could pull the longest silky threads    Also tubers do not have a lot of flavor but are somewhat crunchy- like.  It's all about the texture.  Nutrition-wise it's high in fiber and vitamin C.

[Mikey]

Sounds kind of like a water chestnut.  Not much flavor but a lot of crunch.  Speaking of which, a few years ago I grew some water chestnuts in the waterfall area of my pond.  I can't remember why I got rid of them but I may try it again should I see some fresh un-peeled water chestnuts at a store...

[tinkster]

am sure it a silly phobia but the thought of eating something like the lotus tubers I dig out of the crap/poop that they grow in just ewww....

tink

[greenthumbnails]

Water chestnuts wrapped in bacon on a skewer and grilled- very yummy!
You can also eat the lotus seeds (de-peeled) in a soup.  I think Annette once said she also ate them either in a salad or by themselves?
Yes the texture of lotus tuber is kinda like water chestnut and the stringy effect is kinda like when you cut up okra and eat it stir fried.

Annette- string contest? LOL  , I never thought of that! 

[mazoe]

I found a tuber at the grocery store not to long ago. Thought I would try planting it but my daughter in law had a different plan. She prepared it for dinner............

[LynneNY]

I had my first taste of lotus on Friday.  We were eating in a restaurant in NYC and my son ordered tuna steak which was served on a bed of seaweed with very very thin, small slices of lotus root mixed in.  I couldn't tell if it had a flavor to it because the seaweed was in an extremely strong ginger sauce.  It was crunchy like water chestnuts as someone mentioned above.