Lotus root.

Lotus root is the underwater stem of the lotus plant. It grows in long sausage-like links with a pale tan skin, and when you slice across it, each round shows a ring of holes like a little wheel. The flesh is crisp and juicy, a bit like water chestnut, with a mild, faintly sweet taste. A short cook keeps the crunch. A long simmer makes it tender and slightly starchy. In Thailand it shows up most in clear soups and in the sweet drink made from it.

Ways to use it

• Simmer thick slices with pork ribs in a clear soup until tender.
• Slice thin and stir fry quickly with garlic, chilli and a little oyster sauce, so it stays crunchy.
• Blanch thin slices for a minute and dress them with lime, fish sauce, chilli and herbs for a Thai yam salad.
• Fry thin slices in hot oil for crisp chips.
• Boil with water and sugar for the light brown lotus root drink.

Mud often hides inside the holes. Rinse the cut pieces well, and drop them into water with a little lime juice or vinegar so they don't turn brown before cooking.

Storing it

Keep uncut lotus root wrapped in a bag in the fridge drawer and use it within a few days. Once cut, it darkens fast, so cook it soon or keep the pieces covered in water in the fridge.

Where it comes from

Grown to certified organic standards. The certificate for each lot is shown when you trace your pack.

Every pack will carry a lot code. Enter it on the Trace your pack page and you will see the farms in that lot, the harvest date and the certificate.