Vinegared Lotus Root (酢蓮根, Su-renkon)

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Small sharp paring knife
• •Wide saucepan
• •Nonreactive bowl or shallow container
• •Parchment pressed on the surface, or a small clean plate

Instructions

1. 1

   Choose the root

   Choose lotus root that feels heavy and firm, with pale skin and no soft spots around the joints. The cut ends should look clean and moist, not gray or dry. Sourcing first, always: this dish has no heavy sauce, so a tired root has nowhere to hide.

2. 2

   Make sweet vinegar

   Combine the rice vinegar, sugar, salt, konbu, and dried chili if using in a small pan. Warm gently just until the sugar and salt dissolve, then take it off the heat and cool completely. Heating only to dissolve keeps the vinegar clear and bright; boiling it hard dulls the fragrance.

   The konbu gives quiet depth without turning this into a stock. For this vinegared dish, that is enough.
3. 3

   Slice and notch

   Peel the lotus root and cut it crosswise into slices about 3mm thick. For hana-renkon, cut small V-shaped notches between the natural holes so each slice reads like a flower. Work steadily and don't chase perfection. Even plain rounds are still su-renkon, but the flower cut earns its place at New Year.

4. 4

   Soak the slices

   Put the slices at once into 3 cups water mixed with 1 tablespoon rice vinegar and soak for 10 minutes. Lotus root darkens quickly in air, and the vinegar water slows that browning while drawing off a little raw bitterness. Drain just before blanching.

5. 5

   Blanch quickly

   Bring 4 cups water and 2 tablespoons rice vinegar to a boil. Add the lotus root and blanch for 2 to 3 minutes, just until the slices turn slightly translucent at the edges but still snap when pressed. This is the whole point: cook away the raw edge, but protect the crunch.

   If your slices are thicker than 3mm, give them another minute. If they bend softly, you've gone too far.
6. 6

   Marinate overnight

   Drain the lotus root well while still hot and put it straight into the cooled sweet vinegar. The warm slices take in seasoning more readily, while the cooled vinegar keeps their texture crisp. Press a small piece of parchment on the surface so every slice stays covered, then refrigerate at least 8 hours, preferably overnight.

7. 7

   Serve with room

   Lift the slices from the vinegar and drain lightly. Arrange five or seven slices in a small dish, leaning a few against each other for height rather than spreading them flat. Spoon over only a little dressing. The white petals, the open holes, and the empty space are part of the dish.

Chef Tips

• •Fresh lotus root is best from late autumn through winter, when the flesh is dense and sweet. That's its shun, and it matters more here than any clever seasoning.
• •Use rice vinegar, not a sharp Western vinegar. The flavor should be clean and rounded, with enough sugar to soften the acidity without making the dish taste candied.
• •A nakiri or usuba makes the flower notches neat, but a small sharp paring knife is a sensible stand-in. Keep the cuts shallow. You're shaping the edge, not carving a shrine gate.
• •Don't rinse the lotus root after blanching. You'd wash away heat that helps it drink the sweet vinegar, and you'd add water to a dressing that should stay bright.
• •Serve it cold or cool, not icy. Too much chill mutes the vinegar and makes the root taste flat.

Advance Preparation

• •Su-renkon is made for keeping. Marinate it overnight before serving so the sweet vinegar reaches the center of each slice.
• •It keeps 3 days refrigerated in its dressing. Drain only what you plan to serve, and keep the rest submerged.
• •For osechi, prepare it one or two days ahead and plate it shortly before serving so the slices stay crisp and bright.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 115g)