Name: Lotus Root with a Roasted Cumin-Yogurt Sauce (Zeera Kamal Kakadi)
Yield: Serves 6
Cuisine: India
Ingredients: 3 fresh green Thai, cayenne, or serrano chiles, stems removed; 2 tablespoons mustard oil or canola oil; 4 medium-size cloves garlic; 3 lengthwise slices fresh ginger (each 2 inches long, 1 inch wide, and ⅛ inch thick); 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, toasted and ground (see Tip); ½ cup plain yogurt; 2 tablespoons heavy (whipping) cream; 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems for garnishing; 1 pound fresh lotus root, peeled and cut into ½-inch-thick rounds; or 1 pound frozen sliced lotus root (no need to thaw); 1½ teaspoons coarse kosher or sea salt

Preparation info

Serves
6

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

660 Curries

By Raghavan Iyer

Published 2008

About

Lotus root (technically a rhizome, from which the roots emerge) looks like tapered, stout sausage links. A swivel peeler can easily remove the light creamy-brown skin. When it is sliced, you can see the petal-like patterns of holes that run the length of the rhizome. Lotus root is a perfect match for the stunning burgundy-tinted flower that floats sensuously atop its wide leaves in the water. The flavor and texture of the root slices resembles the sweetness of fresh water chestnuts and the