The American Lotus (Nelumbo lutea) is a local plant that’s discovered all through the US in shallow ponds, lakes, and swamps. The plant was a beneficial meals supply for Native Individuals with the big rhizomes roots, shoots, flowers, and younger seeds all being edible. Wherever they develop the American Lotus is sort of a prolific species able to producing greater than 8,000 flowers per acre. That is nice for us as a result of whereas the roots can provide the most meals worth, we’re solely after the seed pods that kind from the flowers at present. At a small native lake there’s a massive patch of American Lotus that I watched flowering all summer time and have waited for these fairly flowers to vary into the seed pods. When totally mature the pods dry out, flip brown, and eject the seeds, therefore the Cajun identify of Graine A Voler – the seeds that fly. However we don’t need totally mature seed pods, as an alternative, you need younger inexperienced seed pods with good inexperienced seeds in them.
As a result of I used to be on foot and unable to entry these by the water I simply grabbed a pair of outdated boots and waded into the tender mud the American lotus grew in with a persist with hook the seed pods. Then after I might attain them simply twist them to snap the stems proper underneath the bottom of the seed pod, tremendous straightforward to do. Make certain to attempt to keep away from any pods with actually darkish coloured seeds, these will likely be laborious and a bit extra astringent in taste.
After gathering just a few gallons value of American lotus seed pods, I took them residence gave them a rinse outdoors with the hose, and introduced them in to get the seeds out of the pods. You need to use simply your fingers and tear the seed pods aside to get the seeds out or take a knife and simply knick the floor. I discovered utilizing a small razor made it very straightforward to get the seeds out with minimal effort. Additionally a warning the sap from the American Lotus will stain plastics, completely so don’t use the kitchen bowls your spouse likes to retailer your lotus pods.
Additionally if you find yourself pulling the lotus seeds, examine them to ensure there aren’t any wormholes in them, and solely hold the solid-feeling seeds. Simply toss any seeds which are tender and really feel like there’s air in them. After pulling out all of the lotus seeds from the pods, throw them in a colander and provides them a rinse.
Together with your now clear American lotus seeds, you are able to do a few issues. First, you could possibly simply begin up a cajun boil such as you would for crabs, crawfish, or shrimp and simply boil the lotus seeds for about 20 minutes. This softens the shells of the seeds and also you simply eat them like boiled peanuts. Or you possibly can deshell the lotus seeds uncooked to organize them for different strategies of consumption. Although peeling them uncooked does take extra time and is a bit tedious to do, so the selection is yours.
Harvesting & Making ready American Lotus – Graine A Voler
When you do select to peel them uncooked, right here’s the easiest way I’ve discovered to do it. Once more utilizing a bit razor take the tip off the shell of the seed. Make certain to solely take perhaps a millimeter off the tip, that approach you’re solely getting by means of the shell and never chopping into the flesh of the seed. Then after chopping the tip off, I might use this to simply tear the shell off the seed. I like to recommend doing this in batches, to be extra environment friendly. Underneath the shell of the lotus seed there may be one other skin-like layer you wish to peel.
This skinny layer could be peeled off by simply rubbing it together with your fingers with a little bit of pressure. After you get that ultimate pores and skin off you possibly can simply eat them as is. They’re barely candy and a bit bit bitter due to the stem within the middle, my spouse simply snacks on them this manner. If you wish to retailer the lotus seeds long run you must take one other step although.
You could cut up the American Lotus seeds in half and take out the inexperienced stem within the middle. That is fairly straightforward to do however tedious, simply cut up every seed alongside its seam and take away the stems. It can save you the sprouts and dry them for a natural tea. It’s an astringent tea, however supposedly excellent for you. Together with your cleaned and cut up American lotus seeds you wish to put them in a meals dehydrator and allow them to dry at decrease temp until utterly dry. They may shrink a superb bit, however as soon as dry could be saved away for months within the pantry or years within the freezer. You need to use these lotus seeds as a bean substitute in your cooking. I’ve heard of many individuals utilizing them in stews or cooking them in rice, in addition to utilizing them in desserts.
