Raíz de loto

Long-simmered with belly, the root goes powdery and takes the fat.

Malty acid on starch crunch; the standard cold Sichuan treatment.

Stuffed with glutinous rice, glazed in the syrup. Crunch, starch and flower in one slice.

Salt goes straight through the channels and seasons the middle.

Fat clings inside the holes where a thin dressing would run out.

Numbing tingle over an otherwise very literal-minded crunch.

Stuff the channels with glutinous rice, steam, slice. Structure as recipe.

Sediment lodges in the holes; every slice is pre-seasoned.

Simmered in kombu stock it stops being crunchy and turns silky.

Crunch and starch under soft fruit, stewed until the sugar gets into the holes.

Two crunches, no flavours. The dish is entirely about the noise.

Dried fruit sugar and starch channels: dessert built out of a root.