Lotus root soup can be boiled any time of the year but this slow-cooked Chinese soup is commonly served during Chinese New Year for its auspicious significance. Lotus roots signify abundance while peanuts signify wealth.
Put together, this soup literally means prosperity in abundance every year. Just like many other ‘lou foh tong’ or slow cooked Chinese soups, it is nourishing to the body.
How to clean lotus roots?
Cut the sides of the lotus roots and wash them throughly. Sometimes, dirt might get caught in the rhizomes. Remove skin from the lotus shoots and throughly clean them before cooking.
Lotus roots has cooling properties
Chinese slow-cooked soups are said to be beneficial for health. When it comes to slow-cooked lotus root soup, it is taken to improve the ‘yin’ in the body.
According to traditional Chinese medicine beliefs, a healthy body needs to be balanced in yin and yang. Therefore, when the body is ‘heaty’ or imbalanced with too much ‘yang’, food with cooling properties should be consumed and lotus root is one of them.
Should the peanuts skins be removed?
The skins of the peanuts do not need to be removed as they will give a nice colour to the soup. However, if you prefer a clearer soup, you may remove some of the skins.
You may also soak peanuts overnight or simmer the peanuts over low heat for 30 minutes to get rid of the colour from the skins.
Substitute for squid and pork
If you do not have dried squid, just omit it. As for the base, pork is often used but you can substitute it with chicken meat or anchovies.
Using slow cooker
In this video, I allowed the soup to boil before reducing the heat to let it simmer for 1.5 hours. However, cooking soups using the slow cooker makes it even easier.
It is recommended to cook the soup for 6-8 hours on low heat to allow the vegetables to slowly release their nutrients. Otherwise, cook at high heat for 3-4 hours.
