Marmite Lotus Root
This marmite lotus root is crunchy on the inside and flavorful with a sticky savory sauce. The recipe is vegan, allium-free and easy to prepare. I shared two ways to prepare the lotus root - fried and air-fried.
Servings: 2
Ingredients
- 1½ lbs lotus root
Batter
- 90 g rice flour
- 90 g all-purpose flour
- 1 cup plant milk + 1-2 tablespoons water
Sauce (see notes)
- ½ tablespoon marmite
- ½ cup hot water
- ½ tablespoon light soy sauce (see notes)
- ½ tablespoon vegan oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon sugar
Garnish
- toasted sesame seeds
Instructions
- Prepare the lotus root: Peel off the skin and trim off the ends. Slice each rhizome into 1-cm thick rounds.
- Create a batter by whisking together rice flour and all-purpose flour with 1 cup of plant milk. If it's too thick, add 1-2 tablespoons of water. The consistency should be thick enough to coat the lotus root with little dripping.
- To fry the lotus root, add enough oil to a large pan or wok and heat it to 350°F (175°C).
- Dip lotus root in the batter. Carefully, lower the lotus root into the hot oil. Add as many coated lotus roots as the pan fits with a slight gap. Use a tong or chopstick to flip while cooking. Fry until both sides are golden brown, about 3-4 minutes on each side. (tip: let crust forms before flipping) Fry for a little longer if you want a deeper color.
- To air-fry, preheat to 390F (200°C). Then, grease the inner rack with oil. Place battered lotus root in and spray the top with additional oil. Air-fry until golden brown, about 10-12 minutes (please take a peek once in a while to avoid over cook) with a flip in between. Repeat either method until all lotus root is fried.
- Prepare the sauce. Whisk together marmite, water, soy sauce, vegan oyster sauce, maple syrup, and sugar in a bowl until sugar is dissolved
- Heat a pan over medium heat. Slowly pour the sauce in. Stir with a spatula and cook until the sauce starts to thicken.
- Add the lotus root and quickly toss to combine.
- Serve warm with sesame seeds with a bowl of rice.
Video
Notes
- If you haven't tried marmite before, please start with the lower amount. The sauce is thick and please add more water and adjust the taste for a more saucy dish.
- Please note I'm using light soy sauce which is less salty than the original. If you use other soy sauce, please adjust the amount of saltiness accordingly.