<p>Hema Anand explains three different ways to make delicious dishes out of the lesser known and used lotus stems</p>.<p>Lotus stem, the matured stem of the Lotus flower, is popularly used in Sindhi, Punjabi and Kashmiri cuisine. It is long, round and whitish in colour with hollow air cubicles that run through the length of the stem. <br /><br />Lotus stem is rich in calcium and iron and high in dietary fibre. It also contains vitamins C and B-6. The lotus stem is covered with mud and so has to be washed and cleaned thoroughly to remove all the mud even from the holes. <br /><br />After washing, it should be peeled and cut into pieces of desired size. The pieces should be washed well again to remove any mud which is left over in the holes. The cut pieces can be stored in water in the refrigerator for upto 10 to 12 days. <br /><br />The water should be changed every few days. The lotus stem has a mild, crunchy and slightly sweet flavour and can be used in a variety of dishes. It can be added to salads or pickles or one can make a curry or a biryani or tikkis with lotus stem. Here are a few recipes which you can try.<br /><br />Lotus stem, potato, brinjal curry<br /><br />Ingredients: Lotus stem slices (about ½ inch thick and cut in a slanting way) - Potatoes cut into large cubes, 2 medium-sized brinjals, 3 medium sized (1 ½ cut into small pieces and 1 ½ sliced), spinach leaves (finely cut), 1 cup, tomatoes (to be made into puree) 3 large ginger (grated), 1 inch piece, green chillies (finely cut) 2 to 3 cumin seeds, 1 tbspn red chilly powder, 2 tspns coriander powder, 3 tspns turmeric powder, 1/2 tspn garam masala powder, 1 tspn oil, salt to taste, coriander leaves (finely chopped) <br />Method: Wash the lotus stem pieces well. Pressure cook with salt for upto 1-2 whistles (depending on the quality the cooking time may vary, but the lotus stem should remain crisp and not become very soft), drain and keep aside.<br /><br />In a pressure cooker, heat oil and add cumin seeds, ginger and green chillies and saute for a minute. Then add the small pieces of brinjal and cook on a low flame for 2-3 minutes. <br /><br />Add the spinach leaves and potato pieces and continue cooking on a low flame for 4 to 5 minutes. Add red chilly powder, tomato puree and the brinjal and lotus stem pieces and mix well. Add coriander powder, turmeric powder, garam masala and salt and keep cooking till the oil separates. Add enough water and pressure cook for upto 1 whistle. Serve hot with rotis or rice.<br /><br />Masala lotus stem<br /><br />Ingredients: 18 to 20 lotus stem pieces (1/2 inch thick and cut in a slanting way), gram flour (1 cup), red chilly powder (3 tspns), coriander powder (2 tspns), turmeric powder (1/2 tspn) oil (3-4 tbspns), salt to taste.<br /><br />Method: Pressure cook the lotus for upto 1-2 whistles, drain and keep aside. In a thick bottomed pan, heat the oil, add the gram flour and mix well so that no lumps are formed. <br />Cook on a low flame, stirring continuously, till it turns light brown and a nice aroma arises. Add red chilly powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder and salt and stir for a few seconds. Add the boiled lotus stem pieces and mix well till all the pieces are coated well. Serve hot as a starter.<br /><br />Lotus stem tikki <br /><br />Ingredients: 8 to 10 lotus stem pieces (cut into 1 inch pieces) garlic 6 cloves grated, red chilly powder (2 tspns), gram flour (2 cups), cooking soda - a pinch, salt to taste, oil for deep frying.<br /><br />Method: Pressure cook the lotus stem pieces with some salt. Pierce with a knife to check if it is cooked properly. Drain and keep aside. In a small pan, heat ½ tspn. Of oil and put the garlic and stir for a few seconds on a low flame, add the red chilly powder, stir and remove from heat. Slit the boiled lotus stem pieces lengthwise slightly and stuff the garlic and red chilly mixture into each piece and keep aside. <br /><br /> In a bowl, take the gram flour, add cooking soda, salt, 2 tbspns of hot oil and enough water to make a thick batter. Heat oil in a kadai, dip each lotus stem piece in the gram flour batter and fry on a medium flame till half done. <br /><br />Remove from oil and flatten each tikki carefully on a flat surface with your palm, while it is still warm. Deep fry again till golden brown and serve hot with coriander and mint chutney. </p>
<p>Hema Anand explains three different ways to make delicious dishes out of the lesser known and used lotus stems</p>.<p>Lotus stem, the matured stem of the Lotus flower, is popularly used in Sindhi, Punjabi and Kashmiri cuisine. It is long, round and whitish in colour with hollow air cubicles that run through the length of the stem. <br /><br />Lotus stem is rich in calcium and iron and high in dietary fibre. It also contains vitamins C and B-6. The lotus stem is covered with mud and so has to be washed and cleaned thoroughly to remove all the mud even from the holes. <br /><br />After washing, it should be peeled and cut into pieces of desired size. The pieces should be washed well again to remove any mud which is left over in the holes. The cut pieces can be stored in water in the refrigerator for upto 10 to 12 days. <br /><br />The water should be changed every few days. The lotus stem has a mild, crunchy and slightly sweet flavour and can be used in a variety of dishes. It can be added to salads or pickles or one can make a curry or a biryani or tikkis with lotus stem. Here are a few recipes which you can try.<br /><br />Lotus stem, potato, brinjal curry<br /><br />Ingredients: Lotus stem slices (about ½ inch thick and cut in a slanting way) - Potatoes cut into large cubes, 2 medium-sized brinjals, 3 medium sized (1 ½ cut into small pieces and 1 ½ sliced), spinach leaves (finely cut), 1 cup, tomatoes (to be made into puree) 3 large ginger (grated), 1 inch piece, green chillies (finely cut) 2 to 3 cumin seeds, 1 tbspn red chilly powder, 2 tspns coriander powder, 3 tspns turmeric powder, 1/2 tspn garam masala powder, 1 tspn oil, salt to taste, coriander leaves (finely chopped) <br />Method: Wash the lotus stem pieces well. Pressure cook with salt for upto 1-2 whistles (depending on the quality the cooking time may vary, but the lotus stem should remain crisp and not become very soft), drain and keep aside.<br /><br />In a pressure cooker, heat oil and add cumin seeds, ginger and green chillies and saute for a minute. Then add the small pieces of brinjal and cook on a low flame for 2-3 minutes. <br /><br />Add the spinach leaves and potato pieces and continue cooking on a low flame for 4 to 5 minutes. Add red chilly powder, tomato puree and the brinjal and lotus stem pieces and mix well. Add coriander powder, turmeric powder, garam masala and salt and keep cooking till the oil separates. Add enough water and pressure cook for upto 1 whistle. Serve hot with rotis or rice.<br /><br />Masala lotus stem<br /><br />Ingredients: 18 to 20 lotus stem pieces (1/2 inch thick and cut in a slanting way), gram flour (1 cup), red chilly powder (3 tspns), coriander powder (2 tspns), turmeric powder (1/2 tspn) oil (3-4 tbspns), salt to taste.<br /><br />Method: Pressure cook the lotus for upto 1-2 whistles, drain and keep aside. In a thick bottomed pan, heat the oil, add the gram flour and mix well so that no lumps are formed. <br />Cook on a low flame, stirring continuously, till it turns light brown and a nice aroma arises. Add red chilly powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder and salt and stir for a few seconds. Add the boiled lotus stem pieces and mix well till all the pieces are coated well. Serve hot as a starter.<br /><br />Lotus stem tikki <br /><br />Ingredients: 8 to 10 lotus stem pieces (cut into 1 inch pieces) garlic 6 cloves grated, red chilly powder (2 tspns), gram flour (2 cups), cooking soda - a pinch, salt to taste, oil for deep frying.<br /><br />Method: Pressure cook the lotus stem pieces with some salt. Pierce with a knife to check if it is cooked properly. Drain and keep aside. In a small pan, heat ½ tspn. Of oil and put the garlic and stir for a few seconds on a low flame, add the red chilly powder, stir and remove from heat. Slit the boiled lotus stem pieces lengthwise slightly and stuff the garlic and red chilly mixture into each piece and keep aside. <br /><br /> In a bowl, take the gram flour, add cooking soda, salt, 2 tbspns of hot oil and enough water to make a thick batter. Heat oil in a kadai, dip each lotus stem piece in the gram flour batter and fry on a medium flame till half done. <br /><br />Remove from oil and flatten each tikki carefully on a flat surface with your palm, while it is still warm. Deep fry again till golden brown and serve hot with coriander and mint chutney. </p>
