Ganbian Lotus Root
“Ganbian†means the veg is cooked in very little oil over med-low heat to sear before the aromatics of garlic, ginger, scallion, Sichuan peppercorns & red chilies are added. If you love dry-fried green beans, you can use the same “ganbian†method for a myriad of other veg – mushrooms, julienned potatoes, and here my very favorite – lotus root.
Ingredients
- approximately 1 pound lotus root
- light oil
- 1/2 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns
- 8 or more dried chilies cut in half (preferably Sichuanese)
- 4 cloves garlic thinly sliced lengthwise
- an equivalent amount of fresh ginger, thinly sliced
- 2-3 scallions, sliced on the diagonal
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Wash and peel the lotus root. Trim off the ends. Slice crosswise to the thickness of your liking, anywhere from 1/8-inch to 1/2-inch.
- Heat 2 teaspoons light oil in a medium-low wok. Add the lotus root and stir-fry about 10 minutes, until lightly seared on the edges. If some of the smaller pieces are finished earlier, remove them from the wok with chopsticks and continue cooking the larger pieces until all are cooked through. Remove the lotus root and set aside in a bowl.
- Heat 2 tablespoons fresh oil in the wok over a high flame. Add the chilies and Sichuan peppercorns. Stir-fry briefly until they are fragrant. Quickly add the garlic, ginger, and scallions and stir-fry until they are fragrant. Add the cooked lotus root and stir the ingredients together. Add salt to taste.