Name: How To Make Lotus Root Chips From Scratch 3 Different Ways
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 2
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: 200g Lotus Root; Salt, as needed, for seasoning; Aonori (seaweed powder), as needed, for seasoning; Cooking Oil, as needed, for deep frying; 500 ml Water; 1 Tbsp Vinegar

How To Make Lotus Root Chips From Scratch 3 Different Ways-Japanese Taste

Lotus Root Vegetable Fried Oven Baked Air-fried Vegetarian Vegan Healthy Easy Under 30 minutes

Potato chips are the most loved and well-known in the chips world, but lotus root chips are another type of vegetable chip that you should remember. This time, let us introduce our lotus root chips recipe.

First of all, what is lotus root? Lotus root, the main ingredient of lotus root chips, is actually not a root but an enlarged stem of lotus. As it looks like a “root”, it is called 蓮(ren=lotus) 根(kon=root) in Japanese and English.

Lotus root is rich in Vitamin C and dietary fiber, so lotus root chips are not only delicious but also highly nutritious. If you are looking for tasty snacks that are healthier, then lotus root chips are perfect.

There are a lot of Japanese dishes that feature lotus root such as Kinpira (sliced lotus root, sometimes with burdock root and carrot, cooked in sugar and soy sauce), Chikuzen-ni (a stew of chopped chicken, lotus root, carrot, bamboo shoot, shiitake mushroom, konnayku and burdock root stir-fried and simmered in a sweet soy sauce based broth) and so on, but if you want to use lotus root in a casual way, why not try to make lotus root chips first?

There are a few tips you should remember for making perfect lotus root chips.

Use a slicer (mandoline)

When cutting lotus root, a slicer helps you to make thinner slices. The thinner the slice, the crispier the chip!

Soak the lotus root in the water

Soaking the lotus root removes excess starch from the vegetable, which also leads to crispier chips.

Wipe the excess water off

It is important to dry the lotus root pieces well before frying or baking them. Use paper towels to ensure the removal of as much excess water as possible.

Keep the oil temperature at 180℃

If the temperature of the oil is too low, the lotus root chips will not become crispy and will instead become soft and oily. If the temperature of the oil is too high, the lotus root chips will burn easily.

By following these tips, you can enjoy lotus root chips not only as a snack but also as a topping for salads or however you see fit. They add a pleasant crunch and savory taste to any dish!

In this recipe, we’ll show you how you can make tasty lotus root chips in 3 different ways. We’ll show you the traditional fried version, an oven-baked version, and an air-fried version so that you can choose your preferred method of cooking.

Let us know in the comments below if you make our lotus root chips recipe. We would love to hear from you!

Overview

Prep time: 15 mins

Cook time: 15 mins

Total time: 30 mins

Total servings: 2

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

200g Lotus Root
Salt, as needed, for seasoning
Aonori (seaweed powder), as needed, for seasoning
Cooking Oil, as needed, for deep frying
500 ml Water
1 Tbsp Vinegar

Expert's Tip

How To Make Lotus Root Chips From Scratch 3 Different Ways

Tawashi is a useful tool for cleaning various things. Especially in the kitchen, Tawashi is used for cleaning pans, strainers as well as vegetables such as carrots, potatoes, burdock roots, lotus roots, and so on.

This Kamenoko Tawashi is compact and easy to use. If you don’t have one yet, be sure to check this one out!

Instructions

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1) Gathering the Ingredients

Gather the ingredients together. Also, prepare the vinegar water.

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2) Slicing the Lotus Root

Wash the lotus root gently with a Tawashi as we will be using the whole lotus root without peeling off the skin.

Slice the lotus root into 1-2mm pieces. Use a mandoline if you have one. Put the sliced lotus root pieces into the vinegar water and let them soak for 5-10 minutes.

Drain and wipe the excess water off of the lotus root pieces with paper towels.

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3) Deep Frying the Lotus Root Slices

Add a neutral cooking oil to a pan or wide pot over medium heat. When it reaches 180℃, add the sliced lotus root pieces one by one and spread them evenly across the pan to create a single layer. Don’t add all of the lotus root pieces at once.

Deep fry for about 4 minutes. Flip the lotus root pieces with cooking chopsticks or tong at times to ensure even browning and crispiness.

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4) Seasoning the Lotus Root Chips

Take the lotus root chips out from the oil and drain the excess oil by placing them onto a wire rack or using paper towels. Then put half of the lotus root chips into a bowl and season with salt.

Being careful not to break apart the lotus root chips, toss the bowl to evenly coat the chips. Follow the same process for the other half of the chips in a bowl with salt and aonori dried seaweed flakes.

5) Baking Lotus Root Chips

If you want to make non-fried lotus root chips, try baking them instead.

Prepare lotus root the same way until step 2. Place lotus root pieces onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Spread some oil onto the surface of the lotus root pieces with an oil brush.

Preheat the oven to 180℃ and bake the lotus root chips for 10 minutes.

When they’re finished baking, take them out and season with salt and aonori.

6) Air-Frying Lotus Root Chips

You can also make lotus root chips in an air fryer!

Similarly to the airbaked version of the chips, prepare your lotus root in the same way until step 2.

Put the sliced lotus root pieces into a bowl and mix them with vegetable oil and salt.

Place them in an air fryer basket and heat to 180℃. Shake the basket a few times and air fry the lotus root chips for about 7-9 minutes. Take them out of the air fryer and sprinkle them with aonori if desired.

7) Storing the Lotus Root Chips

If you have leftover lotus root chips, put them in a zipper bag with a desiccant (something to remove moisture from the bag). They will stay fresh for up to two days. Enjoy!

About the author

Megumi Moriya

Megumi is a recipe writer based in Chiba, Japan. She carries a Bachelor in the Faculty of Foreign Studies and is interested in creating content about Japanese cuisine and traditional confectioneries. Megumi is most interested in making Japanese recipe content, and in her free time, she likes to play the piano, make handcrafted goods, and hula dance. She hopes to inspire Japanese Taste readers to make Japanese recipes at home and of course share more about Japanese culture.

View articles by Megumi Moriya