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| Lotus seed | |||||||||||||||
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 Dried lotus seeds as they are commonly found in the market | |||||||||||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 蓮子 | ||||||||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 莲子 | ||||||||||||||
| Hanyu Pinyin | liánzǐ | ||||||||||||||
| Jyutping | lin4 zi2 | ||||||||||||||
| Literal meaning | lotus seed | ||||||||||||||
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Alotus seed orlotus nut is theseed of plants in the genusNelumbo, particularly the speciesNelumbo nucifera. The seeds are used inAsian cuisine andtraditional medicine. Mostly sold in dried, shelled form, the seeds are rich inprotein,B vitamins, anddietary minerals.
Two types of dried lotus seeds can be found commercially;brown peel andwhite. The former is harvested when the seed head of the lotus is ripe or nearly ripe and the latter is harvested when the seed head is still fully green but with almost fully developed seeds. White lotus seeds are de-shelled and de-membraned. At harvest, the bitter-tasting germ of most seeds is removed using a hollow needle. Brown peel lotus seeds are brown because the ripened seed has adhered to its membrane. The germ of these hard seeds is removed by cracking the seeds in half.
Dried lotus seeds past their primeoxidize to a yellow brown color. However, some sellers of dried lotus seedsbleach their products withhydrogen peroxide,sodium hydroxide, or other chemicals.[citation needed]
In a 100 gram reference amount, dried lotus seeds contain 332calories and consist of 64%carbohydrates, 2%fat, 15%protein, and 14% water.[1] The seeds are high inB vitamins, particularlythiamin at 43% of theDaily Value (DV), and numerous dietary minerals, such asmanganese (116% DV) andphosphorus (63% DV).[1]
The most common use of the seed is in the form oflotus seed paste (蓮蓉), which is used extensively inChinese pastries as well as in Japanese desserts.
Dried lotus seeds must be soaked in water overnight prior to use. They can then be added directly tosoups andcongee or used in other dishes. Fresh lotus seeds are sold in the seed heads of the plant and eaten by breaking the individual seeds out of the cone-shaped head and removing the rubbery shell. Crystallized lotus seeds (蓮子糖), made by drying lotus seeds cooked in syrup, are a common Chinese snack, especially duringChinese new year. Xiangtan or Xianglian lotus seeds, along withYongfeng chili sauce andChangsha stinky tofu are collectively referred to as "Hunan Sanbao" or Hunan's three treasures.[2][3][4][5][6]
Lotus seeds are also common in the northern part ofColombia, especially in cities likeBarranquilla andCartagena. Locals usually refer to lotus seeds as "martillo." Fresh lotus seeds are sold in street markets and are generally eaten raw by the locals.