Product information

Everything about lotus wortel

What every professional kitchen needs to know about lotus root: origin, flavour, preparation and storage.

What is lotus wortel?

Lotus root (莲藕) — also known as renkon (蓮根) in Japan, ngó sen in Vietnam, botanically Nelumbo nucifera — is the underground rhizome of the lotus plant.

Lotus root is boiled, stir-fried, deep-fried, braised and pickled in Asian cuisine. It is a versatile ingredient with a long shelf life.

莲藕lotus rootlotus rootrenkonnelumbo

Origin & tradition

The lotus plant is sacred in Buddhist and Hindu traditions and has been used as food for more than 3,000 years in China, Japan and India. The largest growing areas are in the Chinese provinces of Hubei and Jiangsu.

In Japan, it is called renkon and is an indispensable ingredient in osechi ryori (New Year's food) and bento. In China, lotus root soup is associated with recovery and balance.

Flavour & texture

The flavour is mild and lightly sweet with a starchy, earthy undertone. The texture varies with the cooking method: crisp when raw or briefly stir-fried, soft and creamy when braised for a long time. Lotus root has a sufficiently neutral flavour to work in both savoury stews and sweet dessert soups.

In Japanese cuisine, renkon (蓮根) is a valued seasonal vegetable: renkon tempura is a classic in tempura restaurants, and braised renkon (nimono) is a winter dish. In Vietnamese cuisine, gỏi ngó sen — lotus root salad with shrimp, mint and rice vinegar dressing — is one of the most popular Vietnamese starters. In Thai cuisine it is used in Thai salads and soups. In Indonesian cuisine in some regional stew dishes. In Korean cuisine: yeongeun jorim as banchan.

Kitchen applications

Japanese renkon tempura — paper-thin slices in light batter, fried crispy
Vietnamese gỏi ngó sen — lotus root salad with shrimp, mint and rice vinegar dressing
Korean yeongeun jorim — glazed lotus root as banchan
Japanese nimono — braised in dashi, mirin and soy sauce as a winter dish
Chinese lotus root soup with pork and jujubes
Thai lotus root salad with chili and lime dressing

Storage & freshness

Store unpeeled lotus root at 2 to 4°C, good for up to 2 weeks. Peeled and sliced: maximum 2 days in cold water in the refrigerator.

Add a dash of rice vinegar to the storage water to slow discolouration.

Professional kitchen tip

Submerge sliced lotus root immediately in water with a splash of vinegar to prevent browning.

For a crisp texture in the wok: blanch briefly before stir-frying so the starches gelatinise but the structure stays intact.

Fresh Lotus Wortel delivered daily to your kitchen

Choina delivers fresh Asian produce every morning to restaurants and wholesalers across the Netherlands and Belgium — Rotterdam, The Hague, Amsterdam, Utrecht, Antwerp and Brussels. No minimum order.

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