Pristine lotus flower heads shoot up from the deep belly of the muddy pond, which in its simplest spiritual interpretation offers connection between the earth and sky, darkness and light, and our own spiritual journey from ego to peace and enlightenment.
The perforated rhizome that grows in muddy water is commonly used in Chinese stir fries, and, when sliced and sautéed, has a crisp texture similar to jicama. If cooked for a little longer or added to soups and broths, the starches in the tubor begin to break down and a more slippery and sticky quality becomes evident. Texturally, its similar to a waxy potato but tends to be sweet in flavor. This range of qualities–wherein the plant can go from crisp to sticky– is somewhat paralleled to the medicinal benefits of the whole plant, which has the ability to balance fluids (astringing tissue that needs toning while moistening tissue that has been overly dried out).
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the root is specifically used to treat a variety of blood disorders, from stopping excessive bleeding to moving blood that might be stagnant. (1)
Rich in vitamin B, iron, vitamin C, phosphorous, copper, manganese, potassium, sodium and dietary fiber, its easy to see why lotus root would be nourishing to the blood– but its also a great addition to any healing diet, regardless of its typical medicinal uses. Keeping dried, organic slices of lotus root on hand is a great way to add nutrient-dense food to your kitchen apothecary...
Medicinally, the lotus seeds are used for restoring vital force in the body and nourishing the essence or jing, as its known in TCM. Lotus seeds astringe excess leakage of fluids, so think about ways in which the body might lose fluids and you are starting to see the patterns where using lotus seed may be useful.
Used for diarrhea, loss of appetite, and also grounding and calming the emotional heart and mind, lotus is also beneficial when anxiety may be the source of disturbance. Herbalist Guido Masé, uses the seeds for clients who need to tone the cardiovascular system and also for the balancing of fluids in the kidneys. (2)
Nutritionally, lotus seeds are a rich source of protein and are typically made into soups or roasted with spices for a traditional crunchy Indian snack, phool makhana. When roasted, lotus seeds will become crisp and crunchy like popcorn. As a food, the leaves are also often used as an edible food wrap containing some form of protein, rice, and peanuts. The roll is then fully cooked in a bamboo steamer.
Sometimes as artists, we forget to celebrate the little triumphs in our works as we go. A difficult challenge overcome, or the pure happy feeling of completing something we’re super proud of. Today I’m celebrating both! This little summertime lotus pond may be a very small corner in a very large RWBY nature scene, but it’s the final piece of the pond completed at last! I’m so happy for this little success!
Welcome to Friday Food Reviews, where I will cover a different food or product each week and look at… what they are. where do they grow, what can we substitute them for in a recipe, and are they safe to eat, store, use, cook, or anything connected to that food? or product..all the why’s and the wherefores…it will, of course, be mainly my own opinion or a known fact…good or bad…there may even be…