What are lotus seeds? (23 characters)

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Lotus seeds are the seeds of the aquatic lotus, Nelumbo nucifera. They have been used in Southeast Asian cooking for centuries and have traditionally played an important role in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), where they are known as lie zi. They’re popular in Chinese desserts and soups, with some traditional recipes for events like New Year’s calling them in a variety of forms.

Lotus seeds form within a distinctive seed head. When lotus seeds are harvested green, before they are fully ripe, the bitter seed germ is carefully removed, as is the membrane surrounding the seed. When dried, these seeds are sold as white-skinned lotus seeds, as they have a creamy white color. When the seeds are allowed to fully mature, they are sold as brown husk seeds, with the brown membrane intact. These seeds are split to remove the germ.

Fresh lotus seeds are sometimes sold inside the seed head, with consumers understanding that they must remove the germ if they don’t want a bitter surprise. Typically, people remove the gummy membrane surrounding each fresh seed before eating it, either by grinding it into a paste or cooking it in syrup to make candied lotus seeds, a popular snack in parts of Asia.

Dried lotus seeds are usually soaked overnight before being used. Some common uses for the seeds include desserts, in which case the seeds are ground up to make a paste, along with soups, rice porridge, and some stir-fry dishes. Lotus seed paste is immensely popular in desserts in both China and Japan; in many regions, you can find steamed dumplings filled with lotus seed paste.

In the TCM, these seeds are said to cool and act on the spleen, kidney and heart meridians. People use the seeds to treat diarrhea, heart problems, and insomnia, among other things. The bitter germ is also used in TCM to treat certain heart conditions. Other parts of the lotus plant, including the leaves and stamen, can also be used.

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