LOTUS ROOT SALAD

INGREDIENTS:

Salad

300 grams Lotus root
75 grams Shungiku (chrysanthemum greens)
500 grams Water
30 grams Rice vinegar

Dressing

60 grams Rice vinegar
15 grams Brown sugar
3 grams Sea salt
15 grams Sake
10 grams Mirin

INSTRUCTIONS:

1
PREPARING THE LOTUS ROOT. The lotus root grows in muddy conditions, so cleaning it well is essential. Start by scrubbing it well under running water with a vegetable brush to loosen any embedded soil from the surface. Peel away the skin and cut off the ends (the nodes that connect the 'bulbs' together).
2
PREPARING THE SHUNGIKU. Wash the chrysanthemum greens and dry them well. Take one of the cooked pieces of lotus root and place it on the cutting board as a guide as you cut the greens. Cut the stems and the greens of the chrysanthemum roughly the same size as the lotus root. Keep the stems and the greens separate. They cook differently so they need to be added to the pan at different times so that they can both be cooked properly.
3
MAKING THE VINAIGRETTE & DRESSING THE SALAD. Combine all of the ingredients for the vinaigrette together in a bowl and whisk to combine, then add in the cooked lotus root and chrysanthemum. Stir to coat everything evenly with the vinaigrette, transfer to a covered container, and allow the salad to marinate for 1-2 hours to allow the flavors to come into balance.
4
SERVING THE SALAD. When ready to serve, arrange a pile of the dressed salad in the center of a small shallow bowl. The pile should be just visible over the edge of the bowl when viewed from the side. This style of plating is known as sugimori because it conjures up the image of the tip of a cedar tree (sugi) piercing the horizon line. Garnish with a few petals of chrysanthemum blossom. The bitterness of the petals helps to balance out the sweetness of the vinaigrette. Serve immediately.

Note

STORAGE. The salad benefits from a short marination time to allow the flavors to blend and balance. The flavor and texture is best if eaten within 24-48 hours.

SUBSTITUTIONS. As I noted, the ingredients used in this salad are likely already gone from the fields and shelves by the time this gets published. This recipe - like many others - can be easily adapted to different ingredients. Apple and spinach garnished with chopped toasted walnuts comes to mind as a nice variation as fall gives way to winter. Try to see beyond the ingredients list, and take away the technique and thinking behind the recipe so that you can adapt them to whatever is available wherever you are, regardless of the time of year.