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Pickled Loofa Mitts

PostPosted: Fri Feb 28, 2014 4:38 pm
by Jenise
Actually, for real, that thing that becomes the spongy fibrous thing you scrub yourself with in the shower was once the root of the lotus plant. In food, it can be processed into a flour of incredible silky lightness or poached and pickled. Today, I just made a batch of the latter, inspired by the divine crunchy pickled lotus root we ordered at Dinesty restaurant in Vancouver.

Here's the jar, just set for cooling.

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What went into that: one package of lotus root from H-Mart. I've never seen lotus root sold this way. In the long ago past, I bought the raw lotus root, oblong roots covered in a pale brown skin the color and texture pretty much of jicama. What H-mart had, and there wasn't a raw/fresh option, was this in the package which, for us grateful English-only speakers, had the additional word 'poached' on it. Typically, that's a step we'd have to do, cook it first, but they've done it for you. So presuming I could go straight to pickling, for a one quart jar I boiled together:

1 cup white wine vinegar
1 cup water
1/3 cup sugar
2 rounded teaspoons kosher salt

I rinsed and sliced the lotus root and stuffed it into a clean jar. The two roots in the package EXACTLY filled it, there was none leftover. And exact, so too, was my guess on the liquid needed--I had about two tablespoons leftover. For seasoning I dissolved a half teaspoon of dried ginger in the brine because I don't have any fresh and stuffed a few chilis and a fresh bay leaf into the jar. Everything's better with fresh bay leaf. :)

Will report back on the results in a few days.

Re: Pickled Loofa Mitts

PostPosted: Fri Feb 28, 2014 11:38 pm
by Jeff Grossman
Mmm, I like lotus root. I hope yours comes out well.

Re: Pickled Loofa Mitts

PostPosted: Sat Mar 01, 2014 4:27 am
by James Dietz
Can I pickle my shower scrub?

Had a nice dinner with Roy Hersh, Jenise. Says he knew you when.

Re: Pickled Loofa Mitts

PostPosted: Sat Mar 01, 2014 7:13 pm
by Jenise
They came out well! One tip to anyone who does these, I sliced them on a mandolin and sliced them about the thickness I wanted the finished pickles to be. Well, they absorb a bit and get thicker--not a lot, but I wish I'd sliced mine even thinner than I did. Didn't remember that happening last time, but then I started out with a different product last time.

Re: Pickled Loofa Mitts

PostPosted: Sat Mar 01, 2014 7:14 pm
by Jenise
James Dietz wrote:Can I pickle my shower scrub?

Had a nice dinner with Roy Hersh, Jenise. Says he knew you when.


Roy and I have been whirling about in almost the same universe for years--but we never end up at a table together. It's a shame!