February 10, 2018

Food Market Upclose - Lotus Pods

Lotus pod bouqet

In Lao food markets you'll sometimes come across a peculiar bouquet of pods with long stems.  They are in fact the pods of the lotus flower.  They may not be recognizable as the beautiful lotus flower that one would expect to see, at least not without the petals.

Lotus pod

The edible parts are not the pod itself or the petals and stems.  Rather, it's what's inside the pods.  The seeds are eaten as a snack in Laos.  Simply break open a pod and remove the seeds.

They're juicy and crunchy.  They're eaten fresh and no additional cleaning or preparation is required.  They're full of vitamins, minerals, and protein.  Look for them the next time you're browsing a Lao food market.  Ask for ny dok bua ໃນດອກບົວ.

Lotus pod with seeds

No comments:

Post a Comment