Steamed lotus root is a dish made by steaming lotus root and pouring a sauce over it. Many dishes using lotus root are made to enjoy the texture, but this time we will introduce a steamed lotus root dish that has a sticky texture. Normally, eggs and potato starch are used as binders, but if you use Kaga lotus root, a Kaga vegetable, it can be shaped using only Kaga lotus root because it is very sticky. When steamed, the starch contained in it becomes gelatinized and becomes more sticky, resulting in a texture reminiscent of mochi. In one of our more creative dishes, emulsified egg is used as a binder to add richness, but egg whites can also be used. If you use less emulsified egg, I think the lotus root flavor will come out more strongly. If you don't have the gold leaf Bottarga to put on top, you can substitute it with seasonal root vegetables such as turnips and shrimp potatoes.

As for the eel that is put inside, I think it would be delicious to use kabayaki instead of shirayaki. When I worked at a restaurant in Kyoto, we actually used kabayaki. However, this dish is centered on the lotus root, and the eel should not overpower it, so this time we used shirayaki. We steam it in a steamer over high heat for 8 minutes, but once the lotus root, which is the shavedest, is cooked, we take it out of the steamer, pour the sauce over it, and serve it.

1. Cut the tofu into pieces and quickly cook it to add seasoning. Grill the eel as usual.

② Peel the lotus root and soak it in vinegar water to remove any bitterness. Wipe off any excess water and grate it using a fine grater.

③ Lightly squeeze out excess water using a bamboo mat, then place in a bowl and mix with the whipped egg whites and salt for seasoning. Add in the wood ear mushrooms that have been chopped, seasoned and cooked beforehand.

4. Place the tofu in a bowl, place the eel cut to size on top, cover with the lotus root dough, shape it, and steam in a steamer over high heat for about 8 minutes.

⑤ Bring the ingredients for the filling to a boil in a pot, dissolve the kudzu, and make a thick filling that is slightly sticky. Pour it on top, and serve garnished with grated wasabi and mitsuba.