Koyadofu no ageyaki to renkon no horenso-an / fried freeze-dried tofu and lotus root with spinach dashi sauce

Rehydrating and frying koyadofu freeze-dried tofu results in a chewy and juicy texture, making a good contrast with crunchy lotus root. A blanket of flavorful dashi sauce brings the two ingredients together while adding a green touch of spinach. Ginger provides a zesty counter-punch to the rich taste from oil used in preparation. A nice side dish for cool days and nights.

1/2 of recipe:
160 calories; 5.2 g protein; 11.9 g fat; 7.3 g carbohydrate; 6.3 g net carbs; 100 mg sodium; 0.1 mg cholesterol; 1.0 g fiber; 267 mg potassium

Renkon no ebi-hasami-yaki, gin-an-gake / sauteed lotus root with shrimp, with pale thickened dashi sauce

Plump shrimp sandwiched between somewhat crunchy lotus root slices, served with slightly salty thickened dashi sauce. Making the shrimp filling (chopping shrimp, mixing with potato starch and egg white) and putting it between lotus root slices may seem complicated at first, but it is easy when you actually try it. The assembled pieces can be kept in the fridge until ready to cook, and sauteing them does not take much time. Below, the pale thickened dashi sauce is made in the microwave for quick preparation as well.

This dish provides soothing comfort on cooler days. As summer approaches here in the Pacific Northwest it is getting a bit too warm for this dish, but we may still have a few nights cool enough to enjoy it ...

1/2 of recipe:
76 calories; 6.9 g protein; 1.3 g fat; 9.4 g carbohydrate; 8.4 g net carbs; 85 mg sodium (with 50% reduced-sodium soy sauce); 45 mg cholesterol; 1.0 g fiber; 289 mg potassium

Ebi no nikogori suigyoza / shrimp shui jiao dumplings

Delightful and tasty dumplings featuring shrimp. I used to use coconut oil as a pork fat substitute, but I could not fully get used to its clingy taste. Other oil or fat seemed to lack something. Then I realized that juiciness does not have to come from fat or oil. For example, with xiao long bao steamed soup buns/dumplings, the juiciness of the filling comes from the soup. Below I applied the technique of making nikogori jelly with the water used to rehydrate dried scallops, and mixed it in with the shrimp filling.

1/2 recipe (dumplings only; yu choy sum on top and dipping sauce not included):
251 calories; 15.0 g protein; 2.1 g fat; 40.3 g carbohydrate; 38.2 g net carbs; 149 mg sodium; 80 mg cholesterol; 2.1 g fiber

Renkon to ginnan no shiokoji kinpira / spicy lotus root and gingko nut saute

A quick saute of crunchy lotus root slices and chewy gingko nuts. While soy sauce is usually the main seasoning in salty, sweet and spicy kinpira saute, using salt or shiokoji salted rice malt helps to retain the color of ingredients and brings out the taste of ginkgo nuts.

1/2 recipe:
96 calories; 2.1 g protein; 2.5 g fat; 16.1 g carbohydrate; 14.2 g net carbs; 105 mg sodium; 0 mg cholesterol; 1.9 g fiber

Murasaki tamanegi to renkon no amazuzuke / red onion and lotus root in sweetened vinegar

A handy small side dish or condiment to accompany other dishes or in a bento box. Its pleasant color and refreshing taste offer a nice change of pace. While red onion alone would become vivid purplish pink in the vinegar, adding another pale color ingredient -- lotus root in this case -- results in a much softer pink for both ingredients.

Whole recipe (solid ingredients):
111 calories; 2.7 g protein; 0.2 g fat; 29.3 g carbohydrate; 21.8 g net carbs; 46 mg sodium; ０ mg cholesterol; 3.9 g fiber

Karashi renkon / deep-fried lotus root with mustard-flavored miso

A regional specialty with 400 years of history from Kumamoto in southern Japan. It makes a great appetizer, as the dish was originally designed to stimulate the appetite and improve the health of a great lord. Sweet miso blended with spicy karashi mustard releases a soft yet pungent aroma as you bite into the crunchy lotus root, making you want to take another sip of sake or bite of plain rice ...
Actual cooking time is not particularly long, but preparation does take some time to let the lotus root and filling work on their own to stabilize the karashi-miso mixture, so plan ahead.

Whole recipe:
419 calories; 7.1 g protein; 26.3 g fat; 38.3 g carbohydrate; 32.0 g net carbs; 444 mg sodium; 14 mg cholesterol; 6.3 g fiber

1/2 of recipe:
210 calories; 3.6 g protein; 13.2 g fat; 19.2 g carbohydrate; 16.0 g net carbs; 222 mg sodium; 7 mg cholesterol; 3.2 g fiber

1/3 of recipe:
140 calories; 2.4 g protein; 8.8 g fat; 12.8 g carbohydrate; 10.7 g net carbs; 148 mg sodium; 5 mg cholesterol; 2.1 g fiber

Kumiage-yuba to kani no ankakedon / fresh tofu skin and crab sauce over steamed rice

Heavenly creamy fresh yuba meets sweet Dungeness crab! Mitsuba, with its refreshing bouquet and taste, works as a highlight as the other ingredients blend in harmony. Below, the dish is served with steamed rice cooked with lotus root for a nice crunch and seasonal reminder. Comforting and yummy!

When served with 150 g steamed rice (plus several lotus root slices) and 60% of yuba-an sauce:
350 calories; 13.2 g protein; 4.1 g fat; 59.4 g carbohydrate; 58.4 g net carbs; 380 mg sodium; 12 mg cholesterol; 1.0 g fiber

When served with 110 g steamed rice (plus several lotus root slices) and 40% of yuba-an sauce:
251 calories; 9.1 g protein; 2.8 g fat; 43.4 g carbohydrate; 42.7 g net carbs; 253 mg sodium; 8 mg cholesterol; 0.7 g fiber

Hasumushi / steamed fish with grated lotus root, with light thickened sauce

A comforting steamed fish dish for winter. Enjoy the fresh taste of in-season fish that has been sealed beneath a blanket of grated lotus root. Savory thickened sauce keeps the dish warm, while pungent wasabi brightens the overall tone. Have a spoon ready!

Below is a simple example with petrale sole and dried shiitake mushroom mixed in renkon lotus root. 

1/2 of recipe:
173 calories; 24.5 g protein; 1.6 g fat; 13.6 g carbohydrate; 12.1 g net carbs; 302 mg sodium (when using shoyukoji made with 50% reduced-sodium soy sauce); 55 mg cholesterol; 1.5 g fiber

Kaisen chukadon / Chinese-style seafood saute over steamed rice

A tasty Japanese donburi of a classic Chinese dish. This is a reduced-sodium version of a previously posted chukadon recipe. It uses more vinegar than the original recipe and much less soy sauce and oyster sauce, but the sourness is milder... Why? Vinegar is boiled (in microwave) to get rid of excess sourness, leaving just enough sour taste and a sensation that mimics saltiness. This recipe also uses Shaoxing wine instead of sake to ensure a flavorful outcome. All in all, this is a very satisfying dish that sticks to your ribs.

1/2 of recipe (when served with 150 g steamed rice):
401 calories; 15.8 g protein; 2.8 g fat; 74.9 g carbohydrate; 71.4 g net carbs; 521 mg sodium (with 50% reduced-sodium soy sauce; 673 mg with regular soy sauce); 37 mg cholesterol; 3.5 g fiber

Iridori / chikuzen-ni / braised chicken with root vegetables

A classic chicken and root vegetable dish. The softly sweet and salty taste makes it a great companion for plain rice and drinks. It is also a popular osechi dish for the New Year, and is great for bento and picnics.

1/2 of recipe:
213 calories; 12.8 g protein; 11.0 g fat; 14.7 g carbohydrate; 10.8 g net carbs; 243 mg sodium (with 50% reduced-sodium soy sauce & shoyukoji made with 50% reduced-sodium soy sauce, 429 mg with regular soy sauce and shoyukoji made with regular soy sauce); 62 mg cholesterol; 3.9 g fiber

Sakana to konsai no amazuan / fish and root vegetables with sweet and sour sauce

This is basically a fish version of sweet and sour subuta pork, without onion. As fish requires minimum prep flavoring, both calories and sodium are lower than the pork version, yet it is very filling and quite yummy.

1/2 of recipe:
250 calories; 21.9 g protein; 10.0 g fat; 16.2 g carbohydrate; 13.6 g net carbs; 372 mg sodium (with reduced-sodium soy sauce; 525 mg with regular soy sauce); 64 mg cholesterol; 2.6 g fiber

Renkon no nanbansu-zuke / fried lotus root marinated in spicy soy sauce vinegar

A crunchy renkon dish that is both spicy and sour. Make this a day in advance to enjoy its full flavor.

Sunappu endo to renkon, ninjin no gomaae / sugar peas, lotus root and carrot in sesame dressing

A little side dish of juicy sugar peas, crunchy lotus root and tender carrot.

Surenkon / subasu / lotus root marinated in sweetened rice vinegar

A lotus root pickle that can be eaten as is or used as a garnish for grilled fish.

Hanarenkon / flower-cut lotus root

Lotus root rounds are transformed into flowers. A simple and popular decorative cut.

Ebi to ginnan-iri mushi-renkon manju / steamed lotus root dumplings with prawns and gingko nuts

Grated lotus root is transformed into soft dumplings by steaming. Prawns add a mild sweet flavor while gingko nuts provide the nutty tang of autumn.

Renkon no amazu-itame / sauteed lotus root in sweetened vinegar

A small sweet and spicy side dish of crunchy lotus root.

Age-renkon dango no amakarani / deep-fried lotus root nuggets in salty-sweet sauce

Grated lotus root is almost chewy, and totally different from the crunchy, crispy texture when it is cut or sliced. This recipe is originally from a temple/vegan cookbook. It has been modified to be less sweet, but it is still on the sweet end for my taste. Depending on how much you reduce the sauce, it could be mellow sweet or almost candy sweet.

Gomoku-mame / soybeans with root vegetables in broth

A tried and true everyday dish with soybeans and root vegetables. You can always use a spoon if picking up each little piece with chopsticks is too much work, or you can use it as a way to slow down while eating ...

Gobo, ninjin, renkon no kinpira / kinpira saute with gobo burdock root, carrot and lotus root

Crunchy! Great with meals, beer, sake... and wine, too.