Lotus Roots in Sibu

 

In China, lotus roots form one of the dishes for the Mid Autumn festival, or moon cake festival. The delicious roots are harvested around August every year.

The Foochows traditionally enjoy a hearty soup of pork bones with lotus roots, some peanuts, several pieces of carrots, and red dates. This dish would help increase appetite and keep you healthy. Another popular dish among Chinese of other dialects would be steamed glutinous rice and lotus roots and honey (or caramelized sugar). Honey in the olden days was easily harvested every where in Fujian. A family would have a few hives to produce honey. Some of the best honey come from bees which collect nectar from the yiu chai flower (canola or mustard flowers)

My maternal grandmother used to tell me stories of her younger days when parents would harvest wild honey and kept it in jars for the festive season. My grandmother used honey often to treat cuts, and sore throat.

My mother found it too expensive to buy lotus roots in Sibu during the festive season. But there was another reason for her not buying the expensive food - she did not have natural teeth to bit into the crunchy roots. 

Whenever I see lotus roots in the supermarkets I would think of my mother and wished that she could enjoy this food and that I could buy some for her.

It is full of vitamins, minerals and dietary fibre. Some medical journals also say that it is good for the heart.