Okay, you know you can make potato chips in the microwave. But can you do the same thing with lotus root? I decided to find out after seeing these fried lotus root chips on the what the hell does a vegan eat anyway blog.
The answer is Yes! And how do they taste? Pretty much like potato chips, with holes. Then why should you make these instead of potato chips? Well, you shouldn’t…unless you’ve got a spare lotus root or just like the happy-daisy look of them.
Lotus Root Chips
Peel the lotus root. Use a mandolin or other uniform slicing tool to very thinly slice the lotus root. You want all slices to be the same thickness, the thinner the better.
Rub a microwaveable plate with oil, and arrange the slices in a single layer, not touching or overlapping. Microwave until they become almost uniformly brown. Start with 2 minutes and add minutes until they are done. (Mine took about 7 minutes.) Be careful not to burn them, but don’t under-cook them or they will not be crispy.
When they’re brown, remove them from the microwave, sprinkle them with salt or other seasoning (I used a spicy Cajun blend), and allow them to cool. They will become crispy as they cool.
Enjoy! They’re not very substantial because of all the holes. But the same technique will work with potatoes, so why not peel yourself a potato and enjoy some virtually fat-free potato chips. Or…hmmm…do you think this would work with parsnips? 
Celia Southey says
I am presently living in China, and LOVE LOVE LOVE lotus root!!!
It’s crunch is great in soups etc. We’ve eaten it here with a vinaigrette dressing – very nice, also stuffed with rice, cooked in a sweet sauce.
I’m looking forward to trying the chips – just for fun! I sure hope I can buy this in Australia when I get back.