Lotus Root Crab Yuja Salad
Quick answer
Thinly sliced lotus root, blanched until just crisp-tender, provides the structural crunch at the center of this salad, while gently separated crab meat drapes a delicate...
What makes this special
- Lotus Root Crab Yuja Salad pairs crisp blanched root with sweet crab and citrus mayonnaise.
- Lotus root blanched under 4 minutes keeps its characteristic crisp snap
- Yuja-mayo dressing combines citrus sweetness and creamy richness
Key ingredients
Core cooking flow
- 1 Trim the 280 g lotus root and slice it evenly to about 3 mm thick.
- 2 When the water is at a full boil, add the lotus root and blanch over medium...
- 3 Squeeze excess moisture from the 180 g crab meat, then separate it along the grain into bite-size pieces.
Thinly sliced lotus root, blanched until just crisp-tender, provides the structural crunch at the center of this salad, while gently separated crab meat drapes a delicate sweetness and umami over each bite. The yuja mayo dressing - yuja marmalade folded into mayonnaise with lemon juice - delivers citrus fragrance and creamy richness simultaneously. Half-moon cucumber slices and thin red onion add contrasting crunch, and a bed of mixed baby greens brings color and freshness to the plate. Keeping the blanching time under four minutes is critical; even a minute longer turns the lotus root soft and robs it of its signature snap.
Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Prep
Trim the 280 g lotus root and slice it evenly to about 3 mm thick.
Soak the slices in vinegar water for 5 minutes to prevent browning and lightly rinse away surface starch.
- 2Control
When the water is at a full boil, add the lotus root and blanch over medium heat for only 3 minutes 30 seconds to 4 minutes.
Remove it when the edges look slightly translucent but the center still snaps.
- 3Step
Squeeze excess moisture from the 180 g crab meat, then separate it along the grain into bite-size pieces.
Keep some larger strands, because very fine shreds disappear once coated with the creamy dressing.
- 4Season
Cut the 120 g cucumber into half-moons and slice the 70 g red onion very thinly.
Soak the onion briefly in cold water, then drain it well so the sharpness softens without watering down the salad.
- 5Season
Mix 1.5 tablespoons yuja marmalade, 3 tablespoons mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and 0.3 teaspoon salt before adding the vegetables. Stir until glossy and smooth, with no thick marmalade pockets left.
- 6Finish
Put the lotus root, crab meat, cucumber, and onion in a large bowl, then add the dressing in portions and toss gently to avoid breaking the slices. Serve chilled over 80 g mixed baby greens.
After the steps
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