Lotus pond stir-fry with prawns on rice
Lotus root, snow peas, wood ear and water chestnut blanched then stir-fried with tender prawns — crisp, sweet and colourful, a classic home stir-fry for the start of autumn.
- 30 min
- Serves 2
- Stir-fry
- Easy
Why it suits you: A balanced constitution has no particular imbalance. Liqiu turns towards autumn's 'gathering in', but Hong Kong is still humid, so food should be light and moistening rather than drying. Lotus root is in season and, cooked, strengthens the spleen; snow peas harmonise the middle, wood ear moistens and prawns boost qi. Blanched then quickly stir-fried, it needs little oil.
Method
Prep 20 min · Cook 10 min- 1Devein the prawns, rub with a little salt and cornflour, rinse and pat dry, then marinate with a pinch of salt and ½ tsp cornflour for 10 minutes. Tear the wood ear into small pieces.
- 2Peel and thinly slice the lotus root and keep it in water so it doesn't discolour. String the snow peas and slice the carrot.
- 3Blanch the lotus root in boiling water for 1 minute, add the snow peas, carrot and wood ear for 30 seconds more, then drain.
- 4Heat the oil and fry the garlic and ginger until fragrant. Stir-fry the prawns until pink, then add the blanched vegetables and water chestnuts and toss over a high heat for 1 minute.
- 5Season with salt, thicken lightly with the remaining cornflour mixed with a little water and serve with the rice.
Cautions
- Prawns are a common allergen; use chicken strips or tofu instead if seafood disagrees with you.
Chef's tips
- For stir-fries choose nine-hole lotus root, which stays crisp rather than floury; keep the slices in water so they don't turn grey.
The TCM view
Raw lotus root is sweet and cold, but cooking makes it sweet and warm, strengthening the spleen, whetting the appetite and nourishing blood. Snow peas are sweet and neutral, harmonising the middle; wood ear is sweet and neutral, moistening dryness; water chestnut is sweet and cold, clearing heat and generating fluids; prawn is sweet and warm, boosting qi. Cooling and warming ingredients balance each other for the shift into autumn.
