How to choose lotus root

How to choose lotus root? Lotus root is a very common food in our life. Lotus root is a vegetable listed in autumn and winter, with high nutritional value. There are many ways to eat it, such as soup and cold salad. Here is how to choose lotus roots.

How to choose lotus root 1 lotus root to take part in tonifying the middle energizer and nourishing the heart, and eliminate all diseases. Regular service, intellectual fit, anti-aging and longevity. Tonify the twelve meridians's blood, and calm excessive yang heat and flourishing fire in the body. Heart-to-heart and kidney, thick stomach and intestines, firm essence and qi, strengthen bones and muscles, tonify deficiency, benefit eyes and ears, dispel cold and dampness, stop spleen leakage for a long time, and women have excessive bleeding during non-menstrual period. Too much raw food, slight movement. Mashed potatoes and rice porridge make people strong and steamed. People with dry stools can't eat it. Lotus is the fruit of benefiting the spleen.

Matters needing attention in purchasing lotus root

1, no internal or external injuries: when buying lotus roots, pay attention to whether there is obvious trauma. If there is a wet mud package, you can peel off the wet mud slightly to see it clearly when you buy it.

2. Don't be too white in color: the washed lotus root sold well in the market may have been soaked in citric acid and the color is white. Purchase is not recommended.

3, yellow and odorless: Lotus root skin color should be smooth and yellowish brown, if it is black or smelly, it is not recommended to buy.

4, the vent hole is large: if it is a cut lotus root, you can look at the vent hole in the middle of the lotus root. Lotus root with big vent has more juice.

5. The lotus root nodes are thick and short: the number of lotus root nodes will not affect the quality. When purchasing, you should choose lotus root knots with moderate thickness, sufficient maturity and good taste.

6. Long distance between lotus roots: The longer the distance between lotus roots, the higher the maturity of lotus roots and the softer the taste.

7, the shape should be full: the lotus root should be full, do not choose the lotus root with incomplete concave and convex appearance.

8. Lotus root with wet mud: Lotus root without wet mud is usually treated and cannot be preserved. Wet mud lotus root is well preserved and can be placed in the shade 1 week.

Edible method of lotus root

1, cooked lotus root food is suitable for frying, stewing, frying and cooking, such as "eight treasures stuffed lotus root" and "fried lotus root box".

2, avoid using iron when cooking lotus root, so as not to cause food to turn black.

3, lotus root can be eaten raw, cooked, drunk, or dried and ground to cook porridge.

4, edible lotus root should choose yellow-brown skin and white meat. If it is black and stinks, it is not suitable for eating.

How to choose lotus root 2 When will the newly cultivated lotus root be listed?

The newly cultivated lotus root is a local specialty in Nansha District, Guangdong Province. Due to the accumulation of sediment, the soil here is fertile and the lotus root grows well. When will the newly cultivated lotus root be on the market? The newly cultivated lotus root will be listed in autumn and winter. In addition to the newly cultivated lotus root, there is also Honghu lotus root. Which is better, newly cultivated lotus root or Honghu lotus root? The two kinds of lotus roots have their own characteristics, both of which are quite good. Eating them is good for your health.

The cultivation of lotus root needs a suitable environment. The newly planted lotus root is a specialty of Guangdong. In Guangdong province, they are usually planted from March to early April. During this period, the temperature should not be too low and the water should be sufficient, so that the lotus root can grow well. After the newly cultivated lotus roots are cultivated, the dead lotus roots are generally collected from late September to March of the following year, and can be put on the market after finishing.

Which is better, newly cultivated lotus root or Honghu lotus root?

The newly cultivated lotus root nodes are relatively short and thick, with four or more nodes after digging out, and the length is between 40-50 cm. Lotus root skin is yellow with some rust spots on it. The most important thing is that Guangdong is famous for its loose taste and rich lotus fragrance.

Honghu lotus root: Honghu green mud soil has sufficient fertility, fine and soft texture and strong ability to grasp fertilizer, which makes Honghu lotus root of good quality. This variety of lotus root is long and full, rich in starch, smooth in taste and sweet in soup.

Conclusion: It is clear to everyone when the newly cultivated lotus root will be listed and which is better, the newly cultivated lotus root or Honghu lotus root. The newly cultivated lotus root is located in Nansha City, Guangdong Province, where the weather is warm. The newly cultivated lotus roots are harvested from late September to March of the following year. There are many varieties of lotus root, and there are different varieties in different regions. Both the newly cultivated lotus root and Honghu lotus root taste good.

How to choose lotus root 3 Where is the earliest lotus root producing area?

Lotus root originated in India and was introduced to China a long time ago. It has been planted for more than 3000 years. Lotus root grows from the stem of lotus and is usually listed in autumn and winter. Lotus root is rich in vitamins, crude fiber, calcium, phosphorus, potassium and other nutrients, and its nutritional value is extremely high. Eating lotus root can not only supplement nutrition, but also help digestion.

China is the hometown of lotus root.

The living environment of lotus root needs a lot of water, and it is usually planted in muddy ponds, low-lying places and ponds. China also has many kinds of areas where lotus roots are planted. Where is the hometown of lotus root in China? Baoying County, Hedong District, Linyi City, Shandong Province, relying on the 10,000-mu lotus pond in Jingangling, Hu Ba Town, was officially named "China Lotus Root Town" by China Vegetable Circulation Association in 2008.

There are many rivers in Baoying County, which is a good place to grow lotus roots. The history of planting lotus roots here is also very long, and there are quite rich experiences. The planting area of lotus root is also expanding, with an annual output of more than 654.38+ 10,000 mu. Products have also been processed into various products and sold all over the country, bringing huge economic benefits to the local area.

Conclusion: We all know where the earliest lotus root was produced, the hometown of lotus root in China. Lotus root originated in India and is now widely planted in China. Baoying County is also known as the hometown of lotus roots in China.

How to choose lotus root 4 Why does lotus root turn black?

Why does lotus root turn black? There are many explanations circulating on the Internet. The most "scientific" one seems to be "Lotus root, because it is rich in iron, will turn black when heated, oxidize when heated, and its color will become darker."

If according to this statement, lotus root will be oxidized when heated, then it will turn black when cooked in a casserole, but this is not the case. Moreover, the iron content of lotus root is far less than that of fungus or even pig liver, but it has never been heard that these things can be dyed into black soup when they enter the iron pot.

In fact, the blackening of lotus root in iron pot is related to the polyphenols contained in it. These guys have the same properties, that is, they can combine with iron ions to form purple or blue complexes. Gallic acid is one of the abundant polyphenols in lotus root, which combines with iron ions to form a blue-black substance, which is the main component of blue-black ink. No wonder sparerib soup can be made into ink soup.

The secret of lotus root turning into ink in iron pot has been found, but why does lotus root turn black when it is put in the vegetable basket without any iron? This is because, under the action of polyphenol oxidase (PPO), the polyphenols in the lotus root mentioned above are oxidized into chemicals called "quinones", and these quinones are polymerized together to form melanin. In fact, the cut apples turn brown and the bananas in the refrigerator turn black, all for this reason.

Small coup to prevent lotus root from blackening

In fact, it is not difficult to keep the lotus root white. Blanching in boiling water at 100℃ for 70 seconds can make all polyphenol oxidase lose its function, thus preventing the transformation of polyphenols into quinones. However, I'm afraid this method is only suitable for dishes that need soft and waxy taste, such as stewed lotus root with ribs. If you do this, the lotus root slices will be black or not, but they will also lose their crisp taste.

Don't worry, in addition to high temperature treatment, proper addition of acidic substances can also bind the hands and feet of polyphenol oxidase. When making cold lotus root slices, vinegar is immediately added to the scalded lotus root slices, which can largely avoid the catalytic effect of polyphenol oxidase and keep the lotus root white. In fact, citric acid and other substances that inhibit the activity of polyphenol oxidase are added to some ready-to-eat packaged lotus root slices.

Those fresh lotus roots bought back can't be eaten in a short time. How to keep them white? This is not difficult. Although polyphenol oxidase has a strong catalytic effect, oxygen is needed to oxidize phenols in lotus root into quinones, so oxygen isolation is also a method. Soaking lotus root in water can delay the blackening process of lotus root.

Can I still eat black?

Judging from the reasons of black lotus root, black lotus root seems to be edible, but it is definitely not fresh, because it has been eaten for too long, so don't eat it.

How to prevent lotus root from blackening during cooking

1. In order to prevent lotus root from discoloring, it can be soaked in light salt water, and a few drops of vinegar can also prevent it from being oxidized. Scalding with boiling water is also very useful.

2. After slicing the lotus root, soak it in clear water, on the one hand, to wash away the sticky substances inside, on the other hand, to prevent discoloration and stir-fry it to look bad.

3. When frying lotus root slices, the more fried, the more sticky. You can add a little water when frying, which is not only good, but also white and tender.

Important note: avoid using iron when cooking lotus root, which will make lotus root black.