Celiac ChatGluten-Free Renkon Hasamiyaki (Fried Meat Stuffed Lotus Root) Recipe
Prep: 20 minCook: 15 minMakes: 4 servingsJump to Recipe ↓
Gluten-Free Renkon no Hasamiyaki (Fried Stuffed Lotus Root) Recipe
Renkon Hasamiyaki
Crunchy and savoury. I love this as an appetizer or side dish.
Renkon (レンコン) is the Japanese name for lotus 蓮 (ren) root 根 (kon). It is actually the stem (rhizome) of the lotus flower. It is a good source of dietary fibre.
Renkon no Hasamiyaki is sliced lotus root (renkon) stuffed with a meat mixture, dusted in potato starch and fried in oil. "Hasami" is from the Japanese verb "hasamu" (挟む) to sandwich, to pinch, to put between things , and "yaki" (焼き) is Japanese for fried or grilled.
There is a similar dish called Renkon no Hasamiage which means deep-fried stuffed lotus root. "Age" (揚げ) in Japanese means deep-fried.
The main difference is that renkon hasamiyaki is shallow fried and then cooked again in a sweet and savoury sauce, while renkon hasamiage is covered in a powdered potato or corn starch or a thin tempura batter and deep-fried and served with a dipping sauce.
Thickness of renkon slice.
You'll want about 1/4 inch slices of renkon. I made 10 renkon hasamiyaki, therefore you will need 20 slices of renkon.
I use frozen renkon because that is what I can get hold of. I can't buy fresh renkon (lotus root) where I live. Frozen is maybe a little less crunchy than fresh, but my family doesn't notice much difference. When using frozen, I let the slices thaw a little and then slice in half, they are a bit too thick as they are.
Above is the type of frozen lotus root (renkon) I can buy at my local Asian food store.
If you are using fresh lotus root (renkon) then wash it well, peel and soak in water to get rid of some of the starch. If you want the slices to stay white then add a splash of vinegar to the soaking water. It doesn't matter so much in this recipe because they will be covered in a soy sauce.
Stuffing the renkon
Next you need to prepare the meat stuffing. I used minced pork (ground pork), but you could use minced beef, chicken, turkey or shrimp. I've not tried it, but for a vegetarian version you should be able to use a medium to hard tofu that has been drained well in place of the meat.
In a bowl mix the ground meat, minced onion, ginger, sake, gluten-free soy sauce, pinch of salt, and 1 tablespoon of potato starch together. Make 10 meatballs.
Put each meatball between two slices of renkon and gently squeeze until the meat comes to the edges. Round off the edges so they are neat.
If using a shrimp or tofu mixture, dust the inside of the renkon slices with a little potato or corn starch, this will help the tofu or shrimp mixture to stick to the renkon slices.
Dip eachreckon sandwich into potato starch.
Next you need to cover each renkon sandwich with a thin coating of potato or cornstarch. This helps give you that crunchy exterior when deep frying.
Plate of dusted reckon sandwiches.
Ready for frying. Heat up about an inch of oil in a pan and gently place the renkon sandwiches in the oil. Fry on medium heat for about 3 to 4 minutes per side. You want them to be golden brown and the meat to be cooked.
Frying
When done remove to a paper towel covered plate to drain any excess oil.
Draining on paper towel.
Now let's prepare the sauce. Mix the sauce ingredients in a bowl. Heat in a pan for about a minute.
Sauce in frying pan.
Sauce:
- 1/3 cup water
- 2 Tablespoons gluten-free soy sauce
- 2 Tablespoons sake
- 1 Tablespoon mirin
- 1 Tablespoon sugar
You can add a teaspoon of rice vinegar if you would like the taste to be like a sweet and sour flavour. Make sure you use gluten-free soy sauce.
After the sauce has heated add the renkon sandwiches and flip occasionally so that each side is covered in the sauce. Cook on low until the sauce is almost gone. Serve on a platter or individual plates.
Renkon Hasamiyaki cooking in sauce.
This dish is also good for bento (lunch) boxes. It tastes good cold.
I love renkon. It is a versatile vegetable.
It is popular during Japanese New Year as part of the New Year dish "osechi ryori".
My family loves Chikuzenni for New Years.
https://www.celiacchat.ca/gluten-free-chikuzenni-japanese-new-years-recipe
Gluten-Free Renkon Hasamiyaki (Fried Meat Stuffed Lotus Root) Recipe
Prep: 20 minCook: 15 minMakes: 4 servings
Ingredients
- renkon (lotus root), sliced 1/4 inch thick. About 20 slices.
- 1/2 pound minced meat (chicken, pork, beef)
- 1/2 cup onion, minced
- 1 Tablespoon potato starch *
- 1 teaspoon ginger
- 1 teaspoon sake
- 1 teaspoon gluten-free soy sauce
- pinch of salt
- 1/2 cup potato starch for dusting finished stuffed reckon *
- Sauce:
- 1/3 cup water
- 2 Tablespoons gluten-free soy sauce
- 2 Tablespoons sake
- 1 Tablespoon mirin
- 1 Tablespoon sugar
- Optional: 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
Directions
- If using fresh lotus root* you'll need about a 5 inch long piece: wash, peel and slice into 1/4 inch rounds. You should get about 20 slices (makes 10 renkon hasamiyaki).
- If using frozen sliced lotus root, let slices unfreeze a little, and then carefully slice larger pieces in half to make 1/4 inch rounds. You want 20 slices (makes 10 renkon hasamiyaki).
- Mix ground meat, minced onion, ginger, sake, gluten-free soy sauce, pinch of salt, and 1 tablespoon of potato starch together. Make 10 meatballs.
- Put each meatball between 2 slices of renkon and gently squeeze until the meat comes to the sides. Trim the sides of the reckon sandwich, so the meat is neatly inside the sandwiches.
- Put the 1/2 cup of potato starch in a bowl. Coat each sandwich with the potato starch and pat off any excess..
- Heat about an inch of oil in a frying pan. Fry the renkon (lotus root) sandwiches about 3-4 minutes per side. Until golden.
- Drain on paper towel.
- While the reckon (lotus root) is frying, make the sauce and set aside.
- In a clean frying pan, add the sauce mixture. Heat for about a minute then add the fried renkon sandwiches. Cook for a few minutes coating the sauce on both sides. When well coated and very little sauce is left transfer to a plate and serve.
Notes
- *If using fresh lotus root, after cutting, soak in water for about 10 minutes and then drain and pat dry. This removes any excess starch and will make them crispy when fried.
