Lotus Seeds with Hard-boiled Eggs
Cooking time: 1 Hour
Serves: 4–6
Ingredients
- 200g dried lotus seeds or 250g prepared lotus seeds (washed and drained)
- 2 litres water
- 4–6 eggs
- 200g rock sugar
Method
Using dried lotus seeds
- Soak dried lotus seeds in water for 30 minutes or boil for 5 minutes. Rub off the brown skins of the lotus seed and split each lotus seed in two. Remove green core if still attached.
- In another pot, bring water to boil and add rock sugar.
- When sugar has dissolved, add lotus seeds. Simmer for at least 45 minutes.
- Meanwhile, prepare hardboiled eggs separately by slowly bringing them to boil in a pot of cool water.
- Simmer eggs for 8 minutes, before removing them from the pot. Shell eggs when they are sufficiently cool.
- When lotus seeds are soft (tastes one to test), add eggs. Heat for 5 minutes more to allow eggs to absorb liquid.
Using prepared lotus seeds
- Wash and drain prepared lotus seeds.
- In a pot, bring water to boil and add rock sugar.
- When sugar is dissolved, add lotus seeds and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Prepare hardboiled eggs.
- Add eggs to the liquid and heat for 5 minutes before serving
TIPS: Most ingredients can be found in Chinese medicinal halls and some supermarkets. Note that rock sugar may be a little gritty so you may need to strain the liquid for clarity. For added fragrance, tie two screwpine (pandan) leaves into a knot and add to pot when simmering.
The above recipe is from Cooking with Chinese Herbs, written by Terry Tan and published by Marshall Cavendish.
