What is lotus root starch made of?

How to make lotus root starch? Lotus root powder is a gluten-free grayish white toner, which is made from fresh lotus root by peeling, pulping, soaking and drying. The main component of lotus root starch is potato starch, and it also contains nutrients such as glucose, carbohydrates, calcium, potassium, phosphorus, sodium and iron. Lotus root starch is easily soluble in water, and it is light gray or reddish colloidal translucent liquid after soaking in boiling water. Because fresh lotus root tastes sweet and cool, it will turn from cold to warm after being processed into lotus root powder, which is more conducive to human digestion. Lotus root powder has the effects of promoting fluid production, clearing away heat, nourishing blood and benefiting qi, nourishing stomach and strengthening spleen. Known as a green and natural nourishing product, it is favored by female friends, especially in Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces.

Introduction of processing methods of lotus root starch

Lotus root starch processing can be divided into traditional manual processing and modern mechanical processing.

(1) traditional processing method

Step 1: Polishing. Wash the fresh lotus root with straw or cloth, cut off the black lotus root nodes, then cut off the outer skin, and rub the fresh lotus root repeatedly along the rough inner wall of the stone mortar until it is completely kneaded into paste, or directly add water and grind it into lotus root pulp with a stone mill;

Step 2: Wash the pulp. Pouring lotus root pulp or lotus root pulp into a clean white cloth bag, putting the lotus root pulp into a clean basin, injecting clean water into the cloth bag for repeated washing, squeezing the lotus root pulp in the bag while washing, and filtering the water into the basin from the slit holes of the cloth bag until the filtered water becomes clear;

Step 3: Bleaching. Stir the lotus root paste in the basin every 2 hours, stir it for 3 times, and let it stand until the next day. After clarification, remove the fine lotus root residue floating on the water surface, and remove the sediment at the bottom, then put the paste in the middle into another pot, inject a proper amount of water to dilute, and then precipitate until the lotus root powder at the bottom is white, and pour off the clear water above;

Step 4: air drying. Put a clean white cloth on a bamboo drying tray, spread the precipitated lotus root starch directly on the white cloth, dry it in the sun, and finally knead or hammer the dried lotus root starch dough into powder, put it in a bottle, seal it and carry it with you.

Characteristics of traditional manual method: Advantages: no additives, no loss of nutrients, 100% retains the original flavor of lotus root, and the taste is pure. Disadvantages: long time-consuming, high labor cost and low powder yield, generally around 10%.

⑵ Modern processing methods

The first step: cleaning and crushing. Cleaning the fresh lotus root in a cleaning device for 2-3 hours, and after the external precipitate is removed, putting the fresh lotus root in a cutting machine for granulation and cutting the lotus root into small particles;

Step 2: Polishing. Pouring small particles of lotus root into a refiner for pulping, filtering for many times to remove fine impurities, and grinding lotus root particles into lotus root pulp;

Step 3: Separate the filter. Pour lotus root pulp into an extrusion mill to separate starch pulp from lotus root residue. This step is a crucial link in starch processing, which is directly related to the extraction rate and quality of starch.

Step 4: Focus. Using starch washing equipment, according to the requirements of lotus root starch granularity, lotus root pulp was concentrated to completely separate the non-starch components in lotus root starch, and finally the qualified lotus root powder was discharged from the cyclone.

Step 5: Drying. The concentrated lotus root pulp is put into the dryer for high-temperature dehydration and drying, and the wet starch is suspended by the hot air flowing at high speed in the dryer to achieve the drying purpose.

Step 6: cooling and packaging. Using the cold air system, the dried lotus root starch is cooled, then it enters the finished product sieve, and finally it is packaged and put into storage.

Features of modern processing methods: Advantages: high efficiency, uniform particles, high powder yield, saving labor costs, and being suitable for mass production. Disadvantages: because it can't be cleaned carefully, it is inevitable that there will be sediment infiltration and a small amount of additives, and the taste is not good.

Method for making lotus root starch meatball soup

Lotus root starch is usually boiled or brewed with boiling water. In fact, lotus root powder is made into lotus root powder meatball soup, which is richer in taste, soft and fragrant, and sweet in mouth.

Specific practices:

Appropriate amount of lotus root starch, purple potato 1, red honey sweet potato 1 (this kind of potato pulp is orange, hereinafter referred to as sweet potato), and appropriate amount of glutinous rice flour.

Appropriate amount of brown sugar and osmanthus sugar.

Production steps

1. Wash purple sweet potatoes and red sweet potatoes, steam them in a steamer, peel them after cooling, put them in two bowls respectively, and mash them with a spoon;

2. Dig 2 spoonfuls of lotus root starch, put it into clear water and stir it evenly, then add glutinous rice flour and stir it into flocculent wet powder, then put the wet powder into purple potato and sweet potato bowls respectively, rub them by hand, so that the purple potato and sweet potato are evenly dissolved in the wet powder and kneaded into two jiaozi whose purple is orange;

3. Rub two colored jiaozi into strips respectively, and then choose small doses, each dose is rubbed into balls the size of glutinous rice balls, and purple and orange balls are finished;

4. Pour water into the pot and add brown sugar. When the water boils, put the purple potato balls and sweet potato balls into the pot and turn to low heat to boil. When the balls surface, stir them with a spoon;

5. Add a small amount of water to dilute the remaining lotus root starch into a paste, pour the paste into the pot, stir with chopsticks at the same time, and stir evenly with a spoon. After boiling for 1 min, the meatballs are cooked, and the sweet-scented osmanthus sugar is taken out and stirred for a while. The steaming meatballs are also covered with a layer of crystal clear lotus root powder, which is appetizing, sweet and refreshing.