Lotus Root

Lotus Root can be stir fried, boiled, steamed or fried.

Oven Fried Lotus Root

I pealed the lotus root, sliced thin, lightly sprayed with canola oil and put in a 375 degree oven till they were crisp. Then sprinkled with fresh crushed Sea Salt. They were very delicious and taste better than potato chips.

Lotus Root Chips adds appeal and texture to a salad

Lotus Root Chips also make a pretty garnish for foods.

Roasted then Fried Rutabaga topped with oven fried Lotus Chip

Lotus Root Season is in the Fall.

Forking Good!

I always liked Rutabagas in soup.  But after tasting the Gilfeather Rutabaga at FnB Restaurant in Scottsdale AZ I became a little obsessed over them.

Rutabagas can be….

Boiled

Roasted

Fried

or raw in a salad.

In Sweden and Norway the Rutabaga is made into a Mash with Potato and is called Root Mash.

ROOT MASH

Oven Fried Rutabaga 400 degrees about 1/2 hour

They are delicious as oven fries as they come out  creamy and sweet with the Rutabaga attitude.

Rutabaga with attitude

Rutabagas are delicious other ways.

Roasted then Fried Rutabaga topped with oven fried Lotus Chip

The above is a Gilfeather Rutabaga purchased from McClendon’s Old Town Scottsdale Farmer’s Market. I roasted the rutabaga then pan fried it in a combination of butter and canola oil.  Added a little fresh ground Sea Salt and Pepper.

I made a cream of Nonfat Greek Yogurt and whipped cream cheese and for the right tang and body and then topped with a lotus root chip I made. I think it came out more delicious than a baked potato. The above Rutabaga is similar to what I enjoyed at FnB.

Forking Truth

Do you know that carrots, onion and broccoli are not indigenous to China? If you spot these vegetables in your Chinese Food that is a clue that you are eating Americanized Chinese Food.  Did you know that Americanized Chinese Food is usually sweeter, thicker and blander than real Chinese Food. Real Chinese Dishes might be made with ingredients like , Tripe, Tendon,  and Intestine. Real Kung Pao Chicken doesn’t have sugar in it and is not thick and has real Sichuan Pepper in it.

Some authentic style dishes are pictured below.

Bean Thread in Spicy Sour Sauce from Miu’s Cuisine Tempe AZ

Special Beef and Vegetables from Lucky’s King Wah Glendale AZ

Notice the very thin light sauce above and be cool and pretend you don’t see carrots or onions.

Braised Tofu with Bamboo Fungus from Joyful Chinese Las Vegas NV

The Bamboo Fungus really did taste better than it looks. It’s really a mushroom veil and has little taste on it’s own it’s really texture.

The Chinese weren’t the only ones that created Americanized food.

But That’s Another Story.

Forking Truth