Lotus Root Pickles

Pickling liquid:

1/2 cup rice vinegar (or brown rice vinegar, which I prefer)
2 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon salt
2 1/2 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon nanami togarashi, or to taste

4 cups water
1 tablespoon vinegar
8 ozs. lotus root, peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch thick slices

Combine pickling liquid ingredients in a bowl. Set aside.

Boil water and vinegar in a non-reactive saucepan. Add a few slices of lotus root and boil for 1 minute. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain in a colander. Repeat with the rest of the lotus root slices.

When all the lotus root slices are done, mix with the pickling liquid. Pack into a jar and refrigerate.

Variation:
For lotus root and carrot pickles:

Carrot slices (about 1/8 inch thick), salted for 30 minutes then rinsed

Add to the pickling liquid at the same time as the lotus root slices.

From Koshur Saal:

Lotus roots are tuberous roots of the lotus water lily, family Nymphaeaceae, botanical name Nelumbo nucifera. Lotus root is an underwater root that grows to be as long as four feet. The root is dark reddish brown and needs to be peeled prior to using. The flesh is creamy white.

And here’s nutritional data about the lotus root from NutritionData.com.

Lotus root, like most tubers, has a starchy quality to it — but it’s low carb and has adequate fiber content. It’s a great accompaniment to grilled dishes.