How to Make Crispy and Refreshing Vegan Lotus Stem Salad

Lotus stem salad is a refreshing Vietnamese dish commonly served during vegetarian meals on full moon days, holidays, or family gatherings. With its crispy lotus stems, fresh vegetables, and balanced sweet-and-sour dressing, this dish brings a light and appetizing flavor that is perfect for warm meals or festive occasions.

In addition to everyday vegetarian meals, lotus stem salad is also an excellent appetizer for vegetarian parties or traditional holiday feasts. The recipe is simple and uses easy-to-find ingredients, making it perfect for home cooking. Let Vô Úy Vegetarian Restaurant guide you through this delicious vegetarian dish.

Lotus Stem Salad – A Refreshing Appetizer for Family Gatherings

Lotus stem salad stands out for its harmonious sweet-and-sour flavor combined with the natural crunch of lotus stems and fresh vegetables. When tasting the dish, you will notice a refreshing and light texture that never feels overwhelming. Thanks to this balanced flavor, lotus stem salad is easy to enjoy and suitable for many different tastes.

This dish is often served as an appetizer during family meals, vegetarian celebrations, Lunar New Year feasts, or full moon vegetarian days. Another advantage is its versatility. You can easily adjust the ingredients or dressing according to your family’s taste preferences.

Two Delicious Vegan Lotus Stem Salad Recipes

There are many variations of lotus stem salad depending on the ingredients and flavor preferences. Below are two popular and easy recipes that highlight the fresh and light characteristics of this dish.

Each recipe offers a slightly different flavor profile while still maintaining the refreshing taste that makes lotus stem salad so appealing.

Sweet and Sour Vegan Lotus Stem Salad

The traditional version of sweet and sour lotus stem salad combines crunchy lotus stems, fresh vegetables, and a flavorful dressing. This dish is easy to prepare and suitable for many occasions, from daily meals to vegetarian gatherings.

Ingredients

• 500 g fresh lotus stems

• 300 g cucumber

• 150 g carrots

• 300 g dried snow fungus

• 200 g vegetarian sausage (vegan ham)

• 15 g fried shallots

• 15 g white sesame seeds

• 300 g calamansi (or lime)

• 1 bunch Vietnamese coriander

• Seasonings: vegetarian fish sauce, salt, sugar

Instructions

Step 1: Prepare the Ingredients

After purchasing the lotus stems, trim the older ends and cut them into pieces about 5 cm long, then slice them lengthwise. Prepare a bowl of water with 2 tablespoons of sugar and the juice of one lemon, then soak the lotus stems for about 10 minutes. This step helps remove the sap and keeps the stems crisp.

After soaking, drain the lotus stems thoroughly and squeeze them gently with a clean cloth to remove excess water. This prevents the salad from becoming watery when mixed. Soak the dried snow fungus in warm water for about 15 minutes until softened. Then drain and tear it into bite-sized pieces.

Peel the carrots, wash them, and cut them into thin strips about 3 cm long. Soak the carrot strips together with the lotus stems to maintain their crispness. Slice the cucumber lengthwise, remove the seeds, and cut it into strips similar to the carrots. Place the cucumber in a bowl, add 1/3 tablespoon of salt, mix well, and let it sit for about 30 minutes. After marinating, rinse with clean water and squeeze dry.

Slice the vegetarian sausage into thin strips about 4 cm long. Wash the Vietnamese coriander, drain it well, and finely chop half of it. Squeeze the calamansi to extract the juice and remove the seeds. Lightly toast the sesame seeds until fragrant.

Step 2: Prepare the Lotus Stem Salad Dressing

In a bowl, add all the calamansi juice, then mix in 150 g sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, and 4 tablespoons vegetarian fish sauce. Stir well until the seasoning dissolves completely.

Tip: Depending on the saltiness of the vegetarian fish sauce, you can adjust the sugar or calamansi juice to achieve a balanced sweet-and-sour taste.

Step 3: Mix the Lotus Stem Salad

Prepare a large bowl and add the lotus stems, carrots, cucumber, vegetarian sausage, snow fungus, and chopped Vietnamese coriander.

Add half of the fried shallots and pour the dressing over the ingredients. Mix gently but thoroughly so that all components absorb the seasoning evenly.

Tip: Ingredients such as lotus stems, carrots, cucumber, and snow fungus should be squeezed dry before mixing to prevent the salad from becoming diluted.

Serving and Enjoying

Transfer the lotus stem salad onto a serving plate. Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds and the remaining fried shallots on top. When enjoying the dish, you will notice the crisp texture of the vegetables combined with the rich sweet-and-sour dressing.

How to Make Lotus Stem Salad with Vegan Spare Ribs

In addition to the traditional recipe, Vô Úy Vegetarian Restaurant suggests another version of lotus stem salad with a richer flavor and more diverse texture. This variation combines sour mango and vegan spare ribs, creating a refreshing twist on the familiar Vietnamese lotus stem salad.

Ingredients

• 250 g lotus stems

• 100 g carrots

• 100 g cucumber

• 100 g green mango (sour mango)

• 50 g onion

• 100 g vegetarian sausage

• 3 pieces vegan spare ribs

• Fresh herbs: mint, Vietnamese coriander

• 3 tablespoons calamansi juice (or lime juice)

• 3 cloves garlic

• 2 shallots

• Fried vegetarian shrimp crackers

• Seasonings: sugar, salt, vegetarian oyster sauce

Instructions

Step 1: Prepare the Ingredients

Trim the older ends of the lotus stems, cut them into pieces about 5 cm long, and slice them lengthwise if they are large. Soak the lotus stems in lightly salted water for about 30 minutes to reduce the sap. After soaking, drain them well.

Soak the vegan spare ribs in hot water until they soften. Squeeze out excess water and shred them into long strips. Marinate the vegan ribs with 1 teaspoon sugar and 1 tablespoon vegetarian oyster sauce for about 10 minutes.

Cut the vegetarian sausage into thin strips. Julienne the carrots and cucumber into long, thin pieces. Peel the green mango and slice it into thin strips. Slice the onion thinly. Finely chop the garlic and shallots. Wash the herbs, drain them well, and chop them lightly.

Step 2: Fry the Vegan Spare Ribs

Heat cooking oil in a pan. Once the oil is hot, add the marinated vegan spare ribs and fry them over low heat. Stir occasionally so that the ribs become golden and crispy without burning. Remove the ribs from the pan and drain excess oil.

Step 3: Prepare the Lotus Stem Salad Dressing

In a bowl, mix together:

• 4.5 tablespoons sugar

• 1/3 teaspoon salt

• 2 tablespoons calamansi juice

• 3 tablespoons vegetarian fish sauce

• 1 tablespoon chili sauce

• 3 tablespoons water

Stir the mixture well until the sugar dissolves completely. Then add the minced garlic and shallots and mix again.

Step 4: Mix the Lotus Stem Salad

Place the lotus stems in a large bowl and add 3 tablespoons of the dressing, mixing well. Let the lotus stems marinate for about 10 minutes so they absorb the flavor. Next, add the carrots, cucumber, and mango. Pour in 2 tablespoons of dressing and mix again. Let the salad rest for another 10 minutes.

After that, drain some of the excess dressing from the bowl. Finally, add 2 more tablespoons of dressing, along with the sliced onion, fresh herbs, and fried vegan spare ribs. Toss gently to combine.

Tip: Since the salad contains crispy fried vegan ribs, mix gently during the final step to keep their crunchy texture.

Serving and Enjoying

Arrange the lotus stem salad on a serving plate. Top with crispy vegan spare ribs, sliced vegetarian sausage, and a bit of chili if you prefer a spicy flavor.

This salad offers a wonderful combination of crunchy vegetables, sweet and sour dressing, and savory vegan ribs, making it extremely appetizing when served with fried vegetarian shrimp crackers.

Tips for Choosing Ingredients for Lotus Stem Salad

To make a delicious lotus stem salad, selecting fresh and high-quality ingredients is very important. Here are some simple tips to help you choose the best ingredients when shopping.

How to Choose Fresh Lotus Stems

Choose lotus stems that are fresh, firm, and intact, with a medium size—not too large and not too small. Fresh lotus stems usually look plump and feel firm when held. You should also prioritize lotus stems that have a slightly darker color or still have a bit of mud attached. These are usually untreated and not chemically bleached. Avoid lotus stems that are broken, bruised, or have many dark spots.

How to Choose Fresh Cucumbers

Good cucumbers typically have a straight and evenly long shape, bright green color, and feel firm and heavy. Fresh cucumbers often still have a green stem with natural sap. Avoid cucumbers that are overly curved, swollen, yellowish, or damaged.

How to Choose Fresh Carrots

Select carrots that are medium-sized with a bright orange color. Fresh carrots often still have firm green tops. Avoid carrots that feel soft when pressed or appear deformed, as they may lose their natural crispness and sweetness when cooked.

Conclusion

With the recipe above, you can easily prepare a refreshing vegan lotus stem salad at home. The preparation steps are simple, yet the result is a delicious and cooling dish that adds variety to your family’s vegetarian meals.

If you do not have enough time to cook, you can visit Vô Úy Vegetarian Restaurant to enjoy carefully prepared vegetarian dishes. With its cozy atmosphere and diverse menu, Vô Úy aims to provide a complete and satisfying vegetarian dining experience.