Lotos Salad With Rich Sesame Sauce Food

VEGETABLE NOODLE SALAD WITH SESAME VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Bring a pot of water to a boil, and season generously with salt.
• In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, sesame oil, vinegar, ginger and garlic. Season with salt and pepper, and mix well.
• Once the water boils, cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 3/4 cup pasta cooking water, then drain. Transfer pasta to a large bowl. Add half the dressing and 1/4 cup pasta water, season with salt and pepper and toss to evenly coat.
• Meanwhile, in a large deep-sided saucepan, heat safflower oil over medium. Add onion and bell peppers, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until deep golden and tender, about 10 minutes. Add snap peas and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp-tender, 2 minutes. Add tomatoes, 1/4 cup pasta water and the remaining dressing. Stir to deglaze the pan and lift the browned bits on the bottom of the skillet, then add vegetable mixture (with sauce) and scallions to pasta and toss until well combined (add more pasta water if thinner sauce is desired). Season with salt and pepper.
• Serve warm or at room temperature. Garnish with scallions and sesame seeds, if using.

FRIED SESAME BALLS WITH LOTUS PASTE FILLING

Steps:

• For the lotus paste: Rinse the lotus seeds in a medium bowl under cold water, then cover with 3 to 4 cups cold water. Soak at room temperature overnight. Drain. Split each seed if whole, then remove and discard any green core, which will be bitter. Discard any dark lotus seeds.
• Combine the lotus seeds with 4 cups cold water in a medium saucepan. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer over low heat. Cook, partially covered, until the seeds are soft and easily break apart, about 1 hour, adding more water if the level falls below the seeds. Drain.
• Transfer the lotus seeds to a food processor. Add the warm water and process on high speed, stopping to scrape down the sides occasionally, until very smooth, about 1 minute. Pass through a mesh-strainer into another medium bowl, pressing on the solids. Scrape the bottom of the strainer and discard the solids (see Cook's Note).
• Combine the lotus puree, confectioners' sugar and a small pinch of salt in a medium nonstick saute pan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a flat-edge wooden spoon or firm rubber spatula, until the paste has thickened and slowly comes back together when you run a spatula across the bottom of the saute pan, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the oil 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring constantly after each addition, until incorporated. Add the corn syrup and stir until smooth. Spread the lotus paste evenly in a shallow bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing the plastic against the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Let cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes, then refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours (see Cook's Note).
• For the dough: Meanwhile, stir the wheat starch and boiling water in a medium heatproof bowl until a dough forms. Knead for 30 seconds until all the starch is hydrated. Cover with a plate and set aside until needed.
• Stir the glutinous rice flour, granulated sugar and lard in a large bowl. Add 1/3 cup cold water and stir with a spoon until a dough forms. Scrape off all the dough from the spoon and knead by hand until the flour is moistened, about 1 minute.
• Tear off small (pea-size) pieces of the wheat starch dough. Scatter over the glutinous rice dough and knead in until completely smooth. If the dough feels dry or cracks, knead in 1 tablespoon cold water at a time until the dough stops cracking. Knead for another 30 seconds, transfer the dough to a resealable bag and refrigerate for 1 hour to hydrate the flour.
• Divide the lotus paste into 8 portions (about 30 g each) and roll each into a ball. Transfer to a plate and refrigerate, covered, until ready to fill the dough balls.
• Remove the dough from the bag and knead until pliable. If it feels dry and cracks, knead in 1 tablespoon cold water at a time until smooth. Divide the dough into 8 pieces, roll each into a ball and cover with an inverted bowl to prevent it from drying.
• Working with 1 dough ball at a time, roll into a 4-inch round using a small rolling pin. Place it on your palm and thin out 1/2 inch of the edge all around using the tips of your index finger and thumb. Place a ball of lotus paste in the center, wrap the dough around it, then pinch the dough together and gently press it together to form a ball. Roll in between your palms until the seams disappear and a smooth ball forms. Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining balls of dough and lotus paste.
• For the coating: Pour the sesame seeds onto a fine-mesh strainer, run under cold water to moisten, then drain and transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Roll each ball in the sesame seeds until completely coated.
• For frying: Fill a large wok or deep Dutch oven two-thirds of the way with the neutral oil. Heat over medium-low heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 325 degrees F. Carefully add all the sesame balls and immediately start moving them along the bottom of the wok with a slotted spoon and spoon. Keep the sesame balls constantly moving to obtain the perfect round shape and fry, without letting the oil exceed 300 degrees F, until the balls expand a bit, the exterior is crisp and becomes light golden, about 10 minutes. Increase the heat to medium and continue frying, stirring constantly, without letting the oil exceed 325 degrees F, until the sesame balls are golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes. During this time, submerge the sesame balls in the hot oil and push each ball in between the two spoons to color evenly and maintain the ball shape.
• Drain the sesame balls on a paper towel-lined plate. Let cool for 10 minutes. Cut each in half with kitchen shears, just like how they are served at dim sum restaurants, and enjoy them while they're still hot.

FRESH LOTUS ROOT SALAD

Steps:

• Boil about 3 quarts of water in a pot.
• Rinse lotus roots with cold water.
• Trim and discard both ends of the bulb and peel the skin.
• Diagonally cut the root into 1/8 inch thick slices and immediately put them into acidulated (water with some vinegar or lemon juice to prevent discoloring) water.
• Drain the roots and put them into the boiling water.
• Take pot off heat and cover pot with lid.
• Let sit for 5 minutes.
• Drain and rinse with cold water.
• Pat dry and put in a shallow bowl.
• In a bowl, combine soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, chili oil and cilantro.
• Pour dressing over lotus roots and garnish with sesame seeds.
• Serve chilled.

LOTOS SALAD WITH RICH SESAME SAUCE

Steps:

• Bring enough water to the boil to cover the chicken breasts when added. Cut the breasts in half and add them to the water. When the water returns to the boil, cover and let simmer six minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand 15 minutes.
• Remove the chicken pieces and plunge them into a basin of water with ice cubes. Let stand 15 minutes. Remove the chicken and pat dry. It is now ready to be used. Or it may be wrapped closely in plastic wrap and refrigerated overnight. You may also prepare the remaining ingredients and store them tightly covered in the refrigerator. When ready to serve, blend the foods.
• You may use the bean sprouts as they are purchased. It is more refined, however, if you pull off the curlicues and seed portions of each. There should be four cups plucked-over sprouts. Put the sprouts in a mixing bowl.
• Cut the cucumbers lengthwise into strips. Cut the strips into spaghetti-like shreds. There should be about four cups. Add them to the mixing bowl.
• Cut the peppers into thin strips and shred the pork. Add them to the mixing bowl.
• Remove and discard the skin and bones of the chicken breasts. Shred the meat. There should be about three cups. Add this to the bowl.
• Drop the noodles into a large quantity of boiling water. Cook four minutes. Drain well and rinse under cold water until chilled. Drain once more. Cut into shreds of manageable length and put the noodles into a second bowl. Add the corn oil and sesame oil. Chill.
• Combine the noodles and the pork, chicken and vegetable mixture. Add the sesame sauce and toss. Add the coriander and blend. Serve immediately.