Korean Braised Lotus Root (Yeongeum Jorim)
A favorite Korean side dish that's salty-sweet, crunchy, and so tasty: Braised Lotus Root or Yeongeum Jorim! A simple recipe that stars sliced lotus root cooked with soy sauce, brown sugar, mirin, and corn syrup until syrupy, glazy, and absolutely delicious. Nutty tasting and incredibly satisfying, they are also beautiful to serve!
Servings: 4 as side
Calories: 144kcal
Equipment
- non-stick pan
Ingredients
- 1 package pre-peeled, pre-sliced Lotus Root
- 4 cups water
- 1 Tbsp vinegar
Braising Liquid:
- 1 cup water
- 1/4 cup soy sauce (do not use low sodium soy sauce!)
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup Mirin
- 1/4 cup corn syrup (any kind works)
Garnish:
- drizzle sesame oil
- sprinkle sesame seeds
Instructions
- Blanch. Rinse pre-sliced, pre-peeled Lotus Root with cold water and drain. Place in a non-stick pan and cover with 4 cups water and 1 Tbsp vinegar. Boil for 5 minutes. Drain.
- Cook. Add Lotus Root back to the non-stick pan. Add Lotus Root back to the pan. Add soy sauce, brown sugar, corn syrup, Mirin, and water. Bring to a boil then lower heat and simmer for 15 minutes, until lotus root is dark brown in color and slightly crispy. If you like it softer, cook for an additional 5-10 minutes. Stir with a silicone spatula from time to time.
- Reduce. Add corn syrup and mix with a spatula. Keep cooking but watch carefully as it evaporates, stirring often. Cook until dark, saucy, and syrupy. The corn syrup will create a shiny, sticky coating. Make sure to stir liquid from the bottom of the pot so the liquid doesn't burn.
- Serve. Garnish with sesame oil and sesame seeds. Enjoy cold or room temperature!
Notes
*Note: packaged Lotus Root is typically poached so I adjust my cooking time accordingly. If cooking with Lotus Root that's not pre-peeled or pre-sliced, add 5 more minutes to the initial blanching time.
Pro Tips:
- Watch carefully. At the end, the liquid will evaporate quickly. Make sure it doesn't burn.
- Spoon braising liquid over the vegetables. Scrape all that delicious braising liquid in the bottom of the pan on top of the lotus roots while cooking.
- Serve with rice. The salty-sweet flavor may be overwhelming on its own. Serve with rice to best enjoy the flavor!
Nutrition
Calories: 144kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 0.1g | Saturated Fat: 0.003g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.01g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.003g | Sodium: 955mg | Potassium: 51mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 33g | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 26mg | Iron: 0.4mg