Category Archives: Lotus flower

Lotus Seeds…

Lotus - seeds- healthy-snacks

Travelling down the roads towards the Red Lotus Lake there were many stalls selling these green flower pod heads I noticed them and wondered what these were and assumed for eating as much of what I see locally which is unknown to me is in fact eaten in one way or another…

Once out on the boat on this beautiful wetlands and seeing lots of these flower pods the boatman told us after picking one for us and encouraging us to try the seed that they were eaten and used widely here and indeed locally the residents were allowed to pick them for free and use or sell..hence all the roadside stalls.

Lotus-seeds-pods-healthy-snacks

It is that time of year and I am now seeing them on almost every street corner and market to buy as the flower head pods or a bag ready seeded for you.

The seeds can are eaten roasted, fried or raw and grown all over S/E Asia the scientific name is Nelumbo Nucifera.

Low in sodium and high in magnesium they are an ideal snack for suffers from heart disease, High B.P or obesity.

Used in traditional medicine and administered as a soup it is believed to be both nutritious and clear heat( lower temperature)

Crystallised seeds are a very popular snack, especially at New Year celebrations as are the very popular Chines Mooncakes which are sold everywhere across Asia.

Lotus seed paste-chinese -mooncakes

Note: Dried seeds must be soaked in water overnight before using in soups or congee.

To eat the fresh seeds the pod head is broken and the seeds snapped out.

Lotus seeds are also made into Lotus seed paste and used extensively in Chinese pastries and Japanese desserts.

The lotus seed paste is very easy to make and is the filling for the Chinese Mooncakes. This video shows you step by step how easy it is to make.

I hope you have enjoyed this post on the lotus seeds and here is a link which gives the numerous great health benefits these seeds have.

https://www.naturalfoodseries.com/13-health-benefits-lotus-seeds/

Thank you for reading and enjoy your weekend xx

Some of Thailand’s most unusual foods.

I got to thinking…….Ha Ha….Yes, you are right every last one of you, when I do that it’s dangerous!

On a weekend boat trip to the Red Lotus Lake, I was amazed when I learnt what you can make with the Lotus flower. It was so beautiful here just miles and miles of water covered in these lovely lotus flowers. Little did I know until our friendly boatman told us that these wetlands not only had fish but flora which was edible.

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A long time ago the petals were used basically as fag papers..just like my dad used Rizzlas I used to sit and watch him with a child’s fascination as he rolled his tobacco into cigarettes.

The flowers are also edible and make lettuce cups look positively boring. The seed pods are lovely to eat just pop those little circles out..take off the outside and eat.

the lotus flower seed pod..The seeds are edible

and some say they taste like popcorn. I now knew what all those lovely green pods we saw being sold on the roadside were and how to eat them. The local people are allowed to harvest these for free.

Even with the stems, you can make a lovely soup. This beautiful lily is not only a beautiful decoration but also a source of food……I never cease to be amazed at what I learn here…

This got me thinking..shhhhhh that word again! Of the things I have eaten since I have been here in Thailand and the things I haven’t ..yuk!

I have eaten different types of veg and things like the banana pod and the lily flowers which can only be harvested at dawn both of which are steamed and eaten with a dip…..Now we come to the more unusual…

Insects of all sorts ..deep-fried and crispy…

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I quite like, well except for the ones which look like the witchety grubs they eat on I’m a Celebrity get me out of here..Not for me! Yuk! Frogs fried

Frogs..I like crispy fried they taste like chicken which brings me on to the Chicken Feet sold by the kilo in Makro and Tesco Lotus are a staple here.

Chicken feet salad.

chicken feet salad

Lizards…not tried them yet…but I love ants eggs, they make a lovely salad..it tastes lemony and it is actually very nice. So if you are in Thailand and see anyone hopping about and brushing themselves down quite frantically under a tree…They are collecting Ants Eggs…..A dangerous game and why they are by Thai standards a delicacy and quite expensive to buy.

Ant egg salad.

ant egg salad

Ingredients:

3 tbsp Ant Eggs.

1 tbsp Fish sauce

1 tbsp Roasted rice

1/2 tsp chilli flakes.

2 Spring onion finely sliced.

Handful chopped coriander

7-10 Mint leaves

2 tsp. Grounded pepper

1/2 tbsp. Lime juice

3 shallots finely sliced.

Stir all ingredients together gently. Add the seasoning. Serve with fresh vegetables.

Enjoy!

If you get over any initial reticence to try it most people like it….really….I do.

Well, I will be honest.with you…I shut my eyes…How THAT helps I don’t know…ha ha

The fermented eggs and fish called Phla which is fermented fish which a lot of Thais add to Papaya salad and soups….. Is an acquired taste and one which in the main I give a miss but on some occasions I have eaten and can now tolerate it although I prefer my food without.

So when you think no one should ever go hungry here...There is always something to eat……. You are moreorless correct but I guess if you really think about it and be creative wherever you are there is always something to eat. I often think that when we say we have nothing to eat what we mean is nothing we fancy we probably have a store cupboard full of jars and packets. A fridge with at least the basics in and maybe a few veggies…. Am I right?

You know I am…..

I see it here all the time ..nothing to eat means nothing to eat…Truly…

Most of us don’t know the meaning of nothing to eat…..

Well, I guess you didn’t expect that little sermon at the end of this post…ha ha….Just occasionally I get carried away with my thoughts…which those who know me are well aware of and I hope you just accept that as one of my little foibles…ha ha…I am a writer after all ….so have fun and laugh a lot as laughter is just the best medicine we can all take 🙂

If you enjoyed reading this then please share or rebog so a few more people will get to know this whimsical English lady and the weird and wonderful things she brings to you….

Until next time stay safe , have fun and laugh a lot ….

The Red Lotus Sea( Lake)

The beautiful Lotus flower at the Red Lotus Lake in Udon Thani

It was a lovely sunny morning and we decided to take a trip to The Red Lotus Lake( Sea) locally known as Talay Bua Daeng. It was the wrong time of year to see the Lotus in full bloom so will going back in December to see that sight.We still saw a few but not many but witnessed a lot of birds and Water Buffalo who didn’t look best pleased with being disturbed…look at that grumpy face. The Buffalo are brought over in the morning and taken back to terra firma in the evening.

Water Buffalo

and also the boatman took us to a little temple on a tiny, tiny island.

gold buddha red lotus lake

Buddha on red lotus lake

temple on red lotus lake

This island when the water is high is virtually submerged hence the big and I mean big steps leading up to the Buddha’s. The name of the temple is Wat Don Leung on the Nong Harn Lake. One of the monks goes over to the mainland every morning to get food for the day.

We were also allowed to pick the seed pods of the lotus flower which I have seen for sale along the road but never knew what they were. I do now… They were lovely to eat a bit nutty…like me!