Candied Lotus Root (yeongeun-jeonggwa)

 

Jeonggwa is a traditional Korean confectionery made by boiling/ simmering plant roots, fruits and seeds in sweet syrupy sauce.  Usually served along side other banchan, as a dessert, snack or appetizer.  The one I have here is yeongeun or lotus root (served as side dish), there are ueong jeonggwa made with burdock (served as dessert), saenggang jeonggwa made with boiling down ginger, danggeun jeonggwa made with carrot just to list a few.

This candied lotus root keeps well in the refrigerator.  Edda liked it a lot, both of us had the most of it.  Love the chewy bite and sweet flavor!

I adapted the recipe from Hannaone's Korean Recipes.   I found another webpage with the exact same recipe, so I don't know who's copied who recipe and never credit the owner. 

Ingredients:

• 16 ounces fresh lotus root, sliced  

• 1/2 tsp. rice vinegar
• 1 tsp. apple juice or apple cider
• 4 cups water

Sauce:

• 2 Tbsp. brown sugar
• 3 Tbsp. soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp. water
• 1 Tbsp. apple juice/cider
• 1 tsp. honey

Optional garnish:  toasted sesame seeds and finely chopped scallion.

Method:

1.  Peel the lotus root, wash clean and slice into thin slices.

2.  Heat a pot with 4 cups of water, when boiling, add in lotus root, vinegar and apple juice, stir, turn down heat and let it simmer for 20 minutes.  Drain.

3.  In a bowl, add in the sauce ingredients and stir to dissolve the sugar and honey.  

4.  Heat up your wok, add 2 Tbsp. sesame oil and add lotus root.  Stir-fry for 1 minute.  Add the prepared sauce, stir to coat the lotus root well with the sauce.  Simmer until the sauce thicken and coat all area of the lotus root.  I added sesame seeds at this point and stir-well.  Dish out to serve and garnish with chopped scallion.