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5 from 3 votes
Lovely pattern of sliced lotus root with decorative mizuna leaves make this salad very attractive. And sesame sauce dressing makes it a perfect salad. Crunchiness of lotus root, mild peppery flavour of mizuna, lovely aroma of sesame.... It is such a simple salad to make but so yummy.
Lotus Root and Mizuna Salad
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
20 mins
 
The lovely pattern of sliced lotus root with decorative mizuna leaves makes this salad very attractive. The sesame sauce dressing makes it a perfect salad.
Recipe Type: Salad
Cuisine: Japanese
Serves: 4
Calories: 171 kcal
Author: Yumiko
Ingredients (tbsp=15ml, cup=250ml)
  • 300g (0.7lb) lotus root
  • 2 tbsp vinegar (separated, any white vinegar is fine)
  • 75g (2.6oz) mizuna (Note 1)
Sesame Dressing
  • 90ml (3oz) gomadare (Note 2)
  • tbsp finely grounded roasted white sesame
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
Instructions
  1. Fill water in a medium size bowl and add 1 tablespoon of vinegar.
  2. Peel the lotus root skin and slice the lotus root into 2mm thick rounds. As you slice the lotus root, put the slices in the bowl of water with vinegar. This is to prevent sliced lotus roots from discolouring.
  3. Boil water in a sauce pan large enough to cook the sliced lotus roots.
  4. When the water in the sauce pan has boiled, add 1 tablespoon of vinegar, then add the sliced lotus roots. Cook for about 10 minutes or until the lotus root slices are cooked (They should still be slightly crunchy – refer to Note 3).
  5. Drain lotus root slices into a sieve and shake well to remove excess water. Then transfer to a bowl.
  6. While the boiled lotus root slices are still warm, add the gomadare and mix well (Note 4).
  7. Add the grounded toasted white sesame, sesame oil and mizuna to the bowl and mix well. Leave to cool down if still warm.
  8. Serve in a large salad bowl to share or individually in smaller bowls.
Recipe Notes

1. If you can't find mizuna, you can use baby spinach leaves or English spinach (blanched, cut into bite size).

2. I used store bought gomadare for this salad. My favourite gomadare is the brand Mizkan and called “Kin no Gomadare” (金のごまだれ, golden sesame sauce). You can buy it at Asian/Japanese grocery stores. You can get other brands, of course but remember that the flavour of gomadare varies depending on the brand and it is a matter of finding your favourite flavour.

You could use gomadare in my post Japanese Dressings if you like, instead of using a store bought sesame sauce. But the flavour is different as my favourite store bought sesame sauce is creamy and richer with a milder acidity.

3. The boiling time varies depending on freshness and lotus root variety. In Japan, you only need a few minutes to cook it. But whenever I make lotus root salad here in Sydney, I have to cook the sliced lotus root for around 10 minutes. If you like a crunchier texture, I suggest you boil it for less time than 10 minutes.

4. When you add gomadare while the lotus root slices are still warm, the flavour of the gomadare is absorbed into the lotus root. It add to the flavour of the salad and the lotus root slices taste even better.