Western people do not eat lotus root everyday and outside of Asia we only find it in Chinatown and not in our local supermarket or wet market (please tell me if I am mistaking). That said, it is a good reason to try it here. What we like about it: it is pretty and crunchy ( even after 30+ minutes of cooking).
Children ate it all cut into pieces with the sauce.

Nice call for your Day 4 Nounou!

Time: 2h

INGREDIENTS
500g Lotus roots
750g pork belly ( keeping the fat, of course)
2tbsp dark sauce
8 pces dried mushrooms soaked and cut in halves
1 tbsp minced ginger
1tbsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp ground pepper
5 stalks sring onion cut into 5 cm long pieces
1 liter water
1 tbsp oil
salt to taste

RECIPE

Cook the lotus root:

1. Clean the lotus
2. Boil with 1 liter of water for 30 minutes
3. Remove from the water and let it cool off. Save the boiled water for later.
4. Peel the lotus and cut it into 1/2cm thick slices

Marinate the pork:

1. Cut the pork into 3cm thick pieces
2. Marinate for at least 2h with the dark sauce and pepper

Cooking the dish:

1. In a  pan on medium heat, put the oil, ginger and garlic until fragrant
2. Stir in the marinated pork, cook until it releases its fat
3. Add the mushroom, stir for 5 minutes
4. Pour the water you saved from the lotus root to cover the pork
5. Let it boil for 15 minutes
6. Add the sliced lotus, bring to boil again
7. Add the spring onion ( this is when the picture was taken)
8. Lower the heat and let it simmer for 1 hour or until meat is tender and sauce has reduced.

Serve with rice.

NB: There was enough left over for 2 for lunch today.