Lucky Shrimp and Lotus Seeds is light, flavorful, crispy, crunchy, lucky Chinese stir fry that you can have on your table in 15 minutes flat. Fabulous way to ring in the Chinese New Year!
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Chinese New Year
Chinese New Year falls on the first day of the month of the new lunar calendar. We need to celebrate with more delicious Chinese dishes to make this Lunar New Year feel special.
Sharing Different Cultures and Food
I am blessed to have many friends who love teach me about their unique cultures and foods. It is fascinating to learn about this holiday's significance and all of the symbolism behind it. When family and friends gather, it is time to celebrate and look forward to all things good and new and the main way they do this is through food.
Yes-food! When it comes down to it. We are all the same in every culture. We gather! We socialize! We eat! From East to West this concept is one that is the same in every region. Well maybe an exception is at a weight watcher's meeting...
Food Symbolism
One of the aspects of this yearly celebration that is commonly emphasized is the foods that are eaten. My Chinese friends tend to associate certain foods with the things they wish for the New Year, like prosperity, fertility, and good health, based on the symbolism evoked by these foods.
For example, lotus root in Cantonese sounds very similar to the expression year after year. Eating our Spicy Lotus Root Stir Fry may help you bring abundance and prosperity in the new year.
What are Lotus Seeds?
Lotus seeds are seeds from the lotus flowers that grow in ponds.
Today I am going to make a quick and easy Chinese stir fry dish using fried lotus seeds and shrimp. Lotus seeds come from the beautiful lotus flower that grows in ponds and rivers. Have you ever been to People's Park in Shanghai, China? The pond in Peoples' Park is filled with gorgeous lotus flowers as far as you can see.
Lotus Seed Symbolism
In the Chinese culture, lotus seeds symbolizes fertility and good luck. More specifically lotus seeds are exactly what you need for a bountiful year with new bouncing babies in your home. So if you are like me with grown teenagers in the house and wish for no more, go easy on this dish...
I am hosting a Chinese family for a little lunar year celebration. So you may ask, what are you going to cook? Chinese dishes of course and I best brush up on my Mandarin.
How to Prepare Dried Lotus Seeds?
Dried lotus seeds cannot be eaten straight out of the bag. Here is the preparation method...
- Soak lotus seeds in water overnight
- Remove the green part in the lotus seed with a toothpick if you want to keep them whole or cut them and remove the inner green part. This little green part is very bitter.
- The easiest method is to cook them in the pressure cooker (Instant Pot) for about 10 minutes with about a 10 minute natural release of pressure. Alternatively, you can cook them on the stove top until tender. From there, they can be used in many recipes.
Entrée
However, I think sometimes simple is best, especially when your hosting a meal offering maybe 4-5 Chinese entrée dishes. My goal was to create a light and easy dish that whipped up in less than 15 minutes flat using my lucky lotus seeds. We created Lucky Shrimp and Lotus Seeds and it is sublime.
How to Make?
I started out with usual stir fry with a little oil then added garlic (of course!) a little onion, baby corn and then some fresh shrimp from the wet market, created a cornstarch flavored slurry and then finished off the dish some baby peas and sprinkled crunchy fried lotus seeds on top of the dish.
15 Minute Dinner
This Chinese dish is light, flavorful, crispy, crunchy, lucky and I had it on the table in less than 15 minutes flat. Good luck shrimp and lotus seeds is also gluten-free. If you do not have or can't get your hands on lotus seeds, no worries as this dish is flavorful and delicious even without.
More Chinese New Year Recipes
Spicy Beef and Longevity Noodles
Sticky Rice Chinese New Year Cake
10 Fun and Easy Chinese New Year Recipes
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Lucky Shrimp and Lotus Seeds
Equipment
- Instant Pot optional
Ingredients
Lotus Seeds (optional)
- lotus seeds
(after soaked and pressure cooked) - handful sprinkled on top - optional garnish - water to soak lotus roots and to cook in pressure cooker
Lucky Shrimp Stir Fry
- 20 shrimp
(large, deveined and heads and tails off) - 1 cup baby corns cut on a diagonal
- ½ cup peas
- ¼ onion
small peeled and chopped - 2 cloves garlic peeled and minced
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ¼ cup water
- 1 teaspoon chicken powder
(gluten free) or chicken bouillon - 1 teaspoon or to taste - 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- white pepper
to taste - 1 tablespoon oil
- lotus seeds soaked and cooked - optional (Dish is also delicious with fried cashews or peanuts as a topping)
Instructions
Optional - Lotus Seed Preparation
- If you plan on topping with optional Lotus seeds, soak dried lotus seeds in water overnight. Then, you can either use a toothpick to remove the green vein that is bitter or chop in half to remove. Then place lotus seeds in the pressure cooker (instant pot) and cover with an inch or 2 of water. Set the pressure cooker on high and cook for 10 minutes. Allow to naturally pressure release for 10 minutes and then release pressure. Drain and dry.
Lucky Shrimp Stir Fry
- Gather all your supplies and have everything chopped, cleaned and ready to go into the wok.
- Make your Cornstarch slurry mixture: In a little cup, place ¼ cup warm water and mix in your gluten free chicken powder until dissolved. Add 1 tablespoon cornstarch, sesame oil and white pepper to taste and stir. Set aside.
- In a wok or frying pan place olive oil and turn on burner to medium high heat. Add onions and garlic and stirfry until translucent.
- Add the baby corn and add a splash of water (couple of tablespoons and then place a lid on to top to help steam for about 1-2 minutes) Take the lid off of the vegetable-do not over cook, just until firm aldente.
- Add the shrimp and keep stirring until they turn slightly pink, then add your optional lotus seeds and stir fry for a minute of 2 and then your cornstarch slurry mixture.
- Add your peas and keep stirring until the mixture is light and has a silky broth. If broth is too thin add more diluted cornstarch and water. If mixture is too thick, add more water. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
- Set your lucky shrimp stir fry on to a serving platter and enjoy with steamed rice.
bentodays says
Looks absolutely delicious! One of my favourite stir fry dishes!
Healthy World Cuisine says
Thank you very much. I have been trying to leave a comment on your site but all of my comments seem to be going directly into everyone spam inbox. Can you please check for me and let me know if my comments went through? Thanks, BAM
Anne ~ Uni Homemaker says
Wow, what a great dish --I rather eat at your house than in a Chinese restaurant! 😉 Lovely post Bobbi and thanks for sharing.
Healthy World Cuisine says
Hello Anne the invite is always open and there is always room for one more at Healthy World Cuisine's table. If your travels ever bring you to Hong Kong give me a ring. Take Care, BAM
Jo (http://blog-diggidy.com) says
Oh Em Gee, this looks soooo good. I cannot even tell you, I wanted to reach through the screen and eat this! 🙂
Healthy World Cuisine says
Thank you, I would send some on over to you but I do not know how well this dish would travel across the ocean. Take care, BAM
Charlotte says
Hi Bam, you new website really looks good, and very practical. I couod spend hours on the website jumping from one recipe to another!
Healthy World Cuisine says
Thank you Charlotte! I also like the new layout it feels much more organized. I wanted to let you know that I have been visiting your site but it seems like all my comments are going directly into every ones spam inbox so can you please check and let me know if you see them. Looking forward to keeping in touch. Take care, BAM
sweetsimplestuff says
You make it sound so easy to prepare ... great advise on limiting the lotus seeds for mothers of teenagers 😉
Healthy World Cuisine says
Hello Brenda, indeed if you have teenagers or older children in the house you might want to limit this dish to no more than once a week. I am not superstitious at all but oh my at my stage in my life....Ayyyahhh! Brenda are you able to get my comments on your website or are they all going into your spam box? Can you check for me. Thanks so much. BAM
yummychunklet says
Your shrimp look absolutely delicious!
Healthy World Cuisine says
Thank you very much. I love when shrimp are so fresh that they have that little crunch when you bite into them. Take care, BAM
theglobalgarnishgeek says
I've never seen dried lotus seeds. This looks great. I'll have to look for those seeds....
Healthy World Cuisine says
If you ever happen to be in an Asian food market see if you can find dried lotus seeds as they are really quite delightful with many culinary possibilities. Take care, BAM
wok with ray says
I love your simple preparations on this delicious looking dish. All of my favorite ingredients like the baby corn, peas, of course those yummy shrimp. The only one I haven't tried are the lotus seeds. I have to look for it on my next trip to Asian market. Thank you BAM and I hope you are having a wonderful week, my friend. 🙂
Healthy World Cuisine says
Salamat Ray! Thank you for you lovely comments. Lotus seeds are really delicious so do keep your eye open for them. I think that all of my comments on everyone site are going to spam so can you please check your inbox. Take care, BAM
dianeskitchentable says
I love stir fry & this one looks very tasty (and pretty). It's great to have something that can cook up so fast but covers you with all the basics in one dish. Sure, sure you say you can make it without the lotus seeds, but now that you've mentioned them, I NEED some. Looking good here on this site, looking good.
Healthy World Cuisine says
Thank you Diane! We eat a lot of quick healthy stir fries here at home. I make many Chinese and other Asian dishes, as we are surrounded with all of the lovely ingredients that just makes you want to cook with the local ingredients, I just need to post more of them but really I cook it so fast and the kids are already eating it before I even had a chance to take any photos. However, come to think of it I also made lots of quick stir fries even when I lived in the States as it is so quick, easy and nutritious. I think that we all crave dishes that not only are delicious but can be made in less than 30 minutes or less. Life is busy and cooking should be fun, not stressful. Have a super week. BAM
Tandy says
I have never even heard of lotus seeds before. I think you were lucky to be eating this lovely meal 🙂
Healthy World Cuisine says
Thank you Tandy. Do you know that flower that grows in ponds called lotus flower? The seeds come from that flower and some very ingenious person decided to dry them and slightly fry them. Lotus seeds are just delightful on so many culinary treats. Take care, BAM
Kathleen Richardson says
Looks delicious and simple, BAM. Your suggestion to prepare all the ingredients ahead of time is an excellent one.
Healthy World Cuisine says
Thank you Kathleen. When you you create any Chinese stir fry dishes it is best to get everything ready like an assembly line before you start. Once you get your wok hot, the dish will be ready in less than 2 minutes. It really makes your cooking process so much easier. I have been trying to comment on your blogger website to let you know how much I love your squash dish but it denies me access so I sent you an e-mail. Take care, BAM
Kathleen Richardson says
I've adjusted my settings, BAM, and hope I've fixed the problem. Thanks for letting me know it existed!
bitsandbreadcrumbs says
Your site really is great, BAM and I love the recipe structure you have now. What a great looking dish. It looks like it would be an explosion of textures and flavor in your mouth...perfect for Chinese New Year! I haven't seen lotus seeds, but this makes me want to go and find some.
Healthy World Cuisine says
Thank you so much for your kind comments. I also really like the organization on my new site. I also think it makes everything so much easier for the reader to find. I know that it may be difficult to find dried lotus seeds outside of Asia but it is really flavorful without. A possible substitution maybe roasted garbanzo beans as it has that same light and crunchy texture which is very different than a nut.
sybaritica says
That looks terrific. I like how you got a bit of caramelization on the baby corn. I've not used lotus seeds except in soup. I must get some and broaden my horizons a little 🙂
Healthy World Cuisine says
Thank you John. I know that usually dried lotus seeds are used most prevalently in dessert dishes. That is exactly why I wanted to think outside the box and try something completely different. I love when dishes has many flavors and textures. I have seen many recipes for candied dried lotus seeds and that is very popular to have out for guests during the New Year celebrations so I might give that a try soon as well. I tried to leave a comment on your site and it is was giving me some issues so I don't know if it went though. Can you please check? Take Care, BAM
gardenfreshtomatoes says
I saw dried lotus seeds in a market once, and wondered how they were used...Beautiful dish, so fresh and colorful!
Love the new site, too!
Healthy World Cuisine says
Dear Marie, I am so happy to see those little feet gravatar in my inbox!!!! Thanks for following along! I know that lotus seeds may be difficult to find in the States, but if you see them again snag them up as they are really light and delicious. As I was mentioning to Betsy, this dish is still very delicious without the lotus seeds but if you are looking for some added crunch try some roasted garbanzo beans. Roasted garbanzo beans are the perfect substitution as they are light and crunchy and not hard and dense like a nut. Take care, BAM
Sibella at bakingwithsibella.com says
Hello Bobbi, here I am checking out your new site. IT IS BEAUTIFUL! This dish looks absolutely delicious (would love to try lotus seeds)! 🙂
Healthy World Cuisine says
Thank you Sibella. I would say that it is a work in progress but getting there slowly but surely. I have a lot more things that I want to do to make it more fun and interactive so stay tuned. Take care, BAM