Lotus Root Soup with Peanuts

Lotus root soup with peanuts is a Cantonese-style soup recipe which is light, healthy and delicious. Slow-cooked Chinese soup such as this is known to be nutritious.

5 stars

Preparation 10 mins
Cooking 100 mins

Soup

Ling Ngau Tong, 莲藕汤

Malaysian, Singaporean, Cantonese

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Nutrition per Serving

636 kcal
57 g
32 g
38 g


Lotus root soup can be boiled any time of the year but this slow-cooked Chinese soup is commonly served during Chinese New Year for its auspicious significance. Lotus roots signify abundance while peanuts signify wealth.

Put together, this soup literally means prosperity in abundance every year. Just like many other ‘lou foh tong’ or slow cooked Chinese soups, it is nourishing to the body.

How to clean lotus roots?

Cut the sides of the lotus roots and wash them throughly. Sometimes, dirt might get caught in the rhizomes. Remove skin from the lotus shoots and throughly clean them before cooking.

Lotus roots has cooling properties

Chinese slow-cooked soups are said to be beneficial for health. When it comes to slow-cooked lotus root soup, it is taken to improve the ‘yin’ in the body.

According to traditional Chinese medicine beliefs, a healthy body needs to be balanced in yin and yang. Therefore, when the body is ‘heaty’ or imbalanced with too much ‘yang’, food with cooling properties should be consumed and lotus root is one of them.

Should the peanuts skins be removed?

The skins of the peanuts do not need to be removed as they will give a nice colour to the soup. However, if you prefer a clearer soup, you may remove some of the skins.

You may also soak peanuts overnight or simmer the peanuts over low heat for 30 minutes to get rid of the colour from the skins.

Substitute for squid and pork

If you do not have dried squid, just omit it. As for the base, pork is often used but you can substitute it with chicken meat or anchovies.

Using slow cooker

In this video, I allowed the soup to boil before reducing the heat to let it simmer for 1.5 hours. However, cooking soups using the slow cooker makes it even easier.

It is recommended to cook the soup for 6-8 hours on low heat to allow the vegetables to slowly release their nutrients. Otherwise, cook at high heat for 3-4 hours.


Ingredients

Servings:  
1
lotus root
100 g
pork
1 l
water
2
dried squid
4
red dates
100 g
peanuts

Steps to Prepare

Lotus Root Soup with Peanuts Step 1

Step 1 of 3

    • 1 lotus root

Remove the skin of lotus roots and cut into slices.

Lotus Root Soup with Peanuts Step 2

Step 2 of 3

    • 100 g pork

Optionally, blanch pork in boiling water with a few pieces of ginger before using.

Lotus Root Soup with Peanuts Step 3

Step 3 of 3

    • 1 l water
    • 2 dried squid
    • 4 red dates
    • 100 g peanuts

Add sliced lotus roots, dried squids, red dates (pitted), peanuts and pork into a pot of water. Bring to boil. Then, turn to lowest heat. Allow the soup to simmer for at least 1.5 to 2 hours. Serve hot.

Published: January 26, 2014


5 Discussions

Jenny Lee
2 years ago

Jenny Lee

Hi, wondering if pressure cooker is recommended for soups? It's much faster but I'm not sure about the nutrients it can extract and how the taste would be affected....

Grace
2 years ago

Grace

The pressure cooker is great if you don't have much time. The soup is still tasty. Of course, the slower method allows the flavour to develop better. It all depends on how much time you have that day....

Anne Tan
3 years ago

Anne Tan

What kind of peanut should I buy for cooking soup? The smaller or bigger ones? From any specific countries?

Grace
3 years ago

Grace

Hey Anne, Any raw peanuts of your choice. Big ones are juicier imo.

Anne Tan
3 years ago

Anne Tan

Yes that is so true... Tq 😊

cher
4 years ago

cher

Can I check how do I soften the peanuts? My peanuts are still hard after soaking for hours then slow cooking the soup 3 hours

Mira - Community Happiness Manager
4 years ago

Mira - Community Happiness Manager

It could be because of the peanut type. I like using Shandong peanuts, they seem softer after cooking. Otherwise, try this: Boiling them and once they begin boiling, let the peanuts sit in the water overnight. My grandma once shared that boiling the soup with a porcelain spoon in it helps to soften the peanuts. Worth a try?

Pushan Bharadwaj
4 years ago

Pushan Bharadwaj

Do you discard the squid at the end of boiling ?

Grace
4 years ago

Grace

Yup, I usually do but my granny loves it!

Pushan Bharadwaj
4 years ago

Pushan Bharadwaj

Thanks Grace

Pat
5 years ago

Pat

Can I check- I don’t have dried squids. Can I replace it with dried oysters or dried scallops?

Mira - Community Happiness Manager
5 years ago

Mira - Community Happiness Manager

Yes. The taste is going to be different but it will still be yummy!

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