CHAPTER 396: CHAPTER 134 GLUTINOUS RICE LOTUS ROOT_3

There are always people in this world who will genuinely love you because of something. Even if they haven’t seen you for a long time, the interval will only make the reunion even more beautiful.

"Hello, everyone, long time no see!" sighed Du Xixi softly, blinking away the moisture in her eyes. "I’ve been busy lately and only now have the time to livestream for you. I’m really sorry."

Du Xixi felt that no other host could be as incompetent as she was. Who disappears suddenly during a livestream and then returns almost two months later?

During her pregnancy, Du Xixi often left her fans in the lurch to care for Ke Lian and her unborn child — ghosting her audience seemed to be a basic operation for her.

Noticing that no one in the comment section blamed her, but rather comforted her, Du Xixi’s smile deepened. She asked 2569 to get a bag of lotus roots, picked one up, and showed it to the livestream audience: "This is a lotus root, which grows at the root of the lotus flower and needs to be broken and pulled out from the mud when harvested. It has a crisp and refreshing texture with fine threads."

"These were sent by my brother and are not yet available on the market. But I’ll bring this delicacy to you first, so you can look forward to it!"

The livestream allowed external interfaces, so although Du Xixi didn’t have pictures of the lotus flowers within the Imperial Palace or Blue Star University, earlier, the Cultural Relics Bureau released simulated images on the Star Network. Du Xixi linked them to the stream, giving everyone a fairly intuitive view of "lotus flowers" and their roots "lotus roots."

"Lotus roots can be eaten raw or cooked in various ways to make delicacies." Du Xixi took two or three similarly sized lotus roots and carefully washed the mud off their surfaces with clean water. "Fried lotus root sandwiches, spicy and sour lotus root pieces, sweet and sour lotus root cakes, crispy fried lotus root slices, lotus root pork rib soup, glutinous rice lotus root, cold lotus root strips..."

"After processing, lotus roots can also be made into lotus powder, which, when brewed with water, becomes a thick mixture, sweet to taste and nourishing." Du Xixi placed the washed lotus roots on a cutting board and delicately wiped them dry with a paper towel, "Today, I’m going to teach you how to make glutinous rice lotus root."

Glutinous rice lotus root, also known as sweet osmanthus glutinous rice lotus root, is fragrant and sticky, with a strong osmanthus aroma. It’s slightly chewy, delicious, and a dreamy dish for those with a sweet tooth!

"It’s important to clean the lotus root well since it is pulled from the mud. If not cleaned properly, it could taste earthy." Du Xixi rolled up her sleeves to her elbows, her fair skin contrasting against the lotus roots like pieces of jade, captivating everyone’s attention. "Glutinous rice can be soaked in advance, but filling it directly into the lotus root segments is also fine."

Du Xixi carefully broke off each lotus root section, revealing variously sized round holes. The audience in the livestream were surprised by the structure of the lotus root, exclaiming in front of their Light Computers.

She carefully filled the white glutinous rice, and in an instant, the lotus root segments were stuffed. However, she didn’t fill them to the brim, leaving some space at the top.

"Glutinous rice will expand when cooked, and if filled too full, it might burst the segments. So we leave a little space," Du Xixi explained, playfully winking, "we need to give them a little room to express themselves freely!"

The filled lotus root segments were carefully secured with bamboo sticks. Externally, they looked no different from unbroken roots, but when held, the weight of the glutinous rice was palpable.

The lotus roots went into the pot, submerged in water. Du Xixi added small amounts of brown sugar, white sugar, and rock sugar, covered the pot, and began cooking the glutinous rice lotus root.

After more than half an hour, Du Xixi lifted the lid, revealing beautifully red water and the formerly jade-white lotus roots turned into a lovely deep red.

Pouring out half the water, Du Xixi added honey and dried osmanthus into the pot. This was the final touch for flavor and aroma. When the lid was lifted again, the whole kitchen was infused with the fragrance of glutinous rice lotus root.

The sweet scent, mixed with the freshness of osmanthus, gradually filled the room. Du Xixi nodded in satisfaction, carefully lifting the lotus root pieces from the pot, draining them, and placing them on the cutting board.

With a water-dipped knife, she gently sliced the lotus roots into thick pieces. The exterior, a rosy redness, and even the white, plump glutinous rice inside had absorbed the appealing pink hue, glistening with a shiny gloss.

It didn’t require a sophisticated presentation. Du Xixi neatly arranged them on a plate. The contrast of red and porcelain, bathed in natural daylight, sprinkled with a light yellow tinge, provided the audience with a visual feast.

"Glutinous rice lotus root, please enjoy!"

Du Xixi opened the Perception Sharing Space in the livestream, and the scent wafted through to the viewers. Everyone couldn’t wait to taste the glutinous rice lotus root, instantly captivated by its sweet and sticky texture.