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4.0 from 3 votes

Cantonese Lotus Root Stir Fry (荷塘小炒, He Tang Xiao Chao)

Stir fried lotus root, carrot, snow peas and wood ear mushrooms are tossed in a light savory sauce with a lot of garlic and ginger. It’s a dish that celebrates the spring. It’s super quick and easy to put together, making it the perfect side dish for your dinner. {Vegan, Gluten-Free Adaptable}To make this dish gluten-free, use tamari instead of soy sauce.

Prep Time
18 mins
Cook Time
18 mins
Total Time
26 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 130 kcal
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Chinese

Ingredients

Soaking
  • 2 tablespoons dried wood ear mushrooms
Sauce
  • 1 teaspoon mushroom powder (or chicken bouillon powder)
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 teaspoon light soy sauce (or soy sauce)
Stir Fry
  • 2 cups lotus root , sliced (*or 1 small fresh lotus root) (*Footnote 1)
  • 1 small carrot , sliced
  • 1/2 cup Snow peas
  • 2 tablespoons peanut oil (or vegetable oil)
  • 3 cloves garlic , minced
  • 1 tablespoon minced ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Soak the mushrooms: Add the dried wood ear mushrooms into a small bowl and add 1 cup hot water to cover. Soak for 15 to 20 minutes, until the mushrooms are soft throughout. Drain well. Remove any tough ends if needed, then cut into bite-sized pieces.
  2. Mix the sauce: Combine the mushroom powder, cornstarch and water in a small bowl. Stir to mix well.
  3. Make the stir fry: Add 1/4 cup water to a large skillet. Heat over medium-high heat until boiling. Add the lotus root and carrot. Cover the pan and steam for 1 minute. Then add the snow peas and soaked wood ear mushrooms. Stir a few times. Cover and steam for another 20 seconds. Once done, transfer all the vegetables to a big plate. Wipe the pan with paper towels to remove any water.
  4. Heat the oil in the same pan over medium-high heat until hot. Add the garlic and ginger. Stir a few times to release the fragrance.
  5. Add back all the vegetables. Stir a few times to coat the vegetables with oil. Sprinkle the salt. Stir and cook until the vegetables have softened but are still crisp, 1 to 2 minutes.
  6. Stir the sauce again to fully dissolve the cornstarch, and pour it into the pan. Immediately stir to mix well, until the sauce thickens. Transfer everything to a large serving plate.
  7. Serve hot as a side dish.

Notes

  • If using fresh lotus root, wash it thoroughly, peel off the skin with a peeler, then thinly slice it. When cooking with fresh lotus root, you also need to blanch / steam it for a longer time. So in step 3, add the lotus root first and steam it for 2 minutes before adding the carrot.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1serving Calories 130kcal (7%) Carbohydrates 14.9g (5%) Protein 2.2g (4%) Fat 7.5g (12%) Saturated Fat 1.3g (7%) Sodium 267mg (11%) Potassium 355mg (10%) Fiber 3g (12%) Sugar 1.9g (4%) Calcium 35mg (4%) Iron 1mg (6%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 130

% Daily Value*

Serving 1serving
Calories 130kcal 7%
Carbohydrates 14.9g 5%
Protein 2.2g 4%
Fat 7.5g 12%
Saturated Fat 1.3g 7%
Sodium 267mg 11%
Potassium 355mg 8%
Fiber 3g 12%
Sugar 1.9g 4%
Calcium 35mg 4%
Iron 1mg 6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.