A Second on the Lips

Meatless Monday: Gochujang Hummus

Kamille — Tue, 14 May 2013 01:23:36 +0000

One of the many benefits of living alone is that there is no one around to judge me for talking to myself in the kitchen. Sometimes I pretend I’m living the luxurious life of Ina Garten, whipping up dishes for Geoffrey and all my fabulous friends. (Seriously, the woman keeps a tab at her grocery store. What a life.) Other times I put on a bad British accent and pretend I’m curvy, gorgeous Nigella Lawson: I make recipes with decadent, creamy ingredients and lean forward more than is strictly necessary.

Most of the time though, I’m just Kamille, thinking out loud.

I sing little ditties to myself, cringing whenever I hit a bad note. I muse about the kinds of flavors that I want to incorporate into my food. I daydream about my boyfriend and shred way too much cabbage by mistake. No matter what, the time I spend over my stove or at my prep table is time for me to decompress.

I haven’t gotten enough of it lately. Like everyone else, I have been maddeningly busy — too busy to make food that requires any effort beyond a quick sauté. I decided to take some time on a recent sunny afternoon to treat myself to some much-needed kitchen therapy. I made this gochujang hummus, a Korean spin on the sriracha hummus that I first made back in September.

Normally, it would take just five minutes to make hummus at home. However, I took the time (about 15 minutes) to remove the papery husks from the garbanzo beans before I put them in the food processor. Time well spent! The hummus came out creamy and smooth without adding excess oil. Plus, it just meant I got to spend that much longer playing around in my kitchen.

My love of gochujang is well-documented. The thick Korean sauce is hot, but it’s also a bit sweet. I love the complexity that it brings to this hummus recipe. I can’t wait to make a sandwich and use some of this gochujang hummus as a spread — deeeelicious. Read on for the recipe!

Ingredients
1 15.5-oz can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon tahini
1 1/2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons gochujang
2 tablespoons water (more or less, as needed)
juice from 1/4 lemon (about 1 tablespoon)
*yields roughly 1 1/2 cups

Directions
Use your fingers to remove the papery husks from the chickpeas. Place them in your food processor along with the garlic, tahini, olive oil, gochujang, lemon juice, and water. Pulse until the hummus becomes creamy and smooth.

Adjust to taste: to increase the heat, add gochujang in teaspoon increments. To decrease the heat, add lemon juice or water. Continue to process until you are happy with the consistency.

Chill for at least 25 minutes to allow the flavors to come together. Enjoy with raw veggies, pretzels, as a sandwich spread, or by the spoonful.

Sunday Supper: Oven-Fried Chicken Drumsticks

Kamille — Mon, 06 May 2013 00:34:11 +0000

This recipe really takes me back. These oven-fried chicken drumsticks are one of the first things I made when I decided to cook healthy food for myself. Before I discovered these drumsticks, my weekly dinners were a sad rotation of frozen meals and boring romaine salads. The drumsticks changed everything. They were the proof I needed that I could make tasty, healthy food at home.

I made these yesterday for the first time in ages and knew I had to share them. They’re cooked in the oven instead of deep-fried in tons of oil, but they’re still plenty delicious. The drumsticks turn a beautiful golden brown: crunchy on the outside, tender and moist on the inside.

Boil some sweet corn, make a small salad, throw a pair of drumsticks on your plate, and you’re in business. It’s perfect for a Sunday night supper on the back porch. The drumsticks are also great for breakfast: have one with a little maple syrup and a sweet bagel for a protein-packed treat.

Credit to Lisa Lillien (aka Hungry Girl) for the secret to the healthy breading — see my version of the recipe after the jump!

Ingredients
8 skinless chicken drumsticks
6 tablespoons egg substitute (like Egg Beaters)
1 cup whole grain, high fiber cereal (like Fiber One)
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Directions
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Prepare a large baking dish with nonstick spray and set aside.

Place the egg substitute in a small bowl. Next, prepare the breading: combine the cereal and all of the spices in a food processor. Pulse until the cereal reaches the consistency of bread crumbs. Adjust the seasonings to taste, and place the breading in a large bowl.

Dip each drumstick in the egg substitute and shake off any excess. Roll the drumsticks in the breading and arrange them in the prepared baking dish. Cook in the oven for 45 to 50 minutes, flipping the chicken halfway through. Serve warm, and enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Hungry Girl 300 Under 300.

Meatless Monday: Spinach-Ricotta Pockets

Kamille — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 00:01:31 +0000

I don’t know if I’ve ever mentioned this before, but I’m a little bit obsessive. It’s genetic — my parents are obsessives too. Fun fact: my mom used to come in my room in the middle of the night and fix my bed. …With me still in it.

Anyway, it is in my nature to become fixated on things. Food is no exception. I’ll literally keep myself awake at night, mulling over recipes in my head. Yesterday I found a Post-It with an ingredient list stuck to the back of my yoga pants. Suffice it to say, I think about cooking a *lot*.

This morning, I woke up with spinach-ricotta pockets on the brain. I knew just how I was going to make them. I figured out the method in while I got ready for work: I would take square wonton wrappers, fill them with spinach and cheese, and bake them. Simple. Easy. Tasty.

I had a minor panic attack when I couldn’t find the wrappers in my freezer. I lose stuff in there sometimes — an occupational hazard of my ingredient hoarding. Fortunately, I found them and all was well: these spinach-ricotta pockets were meant to be.

This recipe is perfect for parties or potlucks. It’s easily doubled (or tripled!). Plus, you can assemble the pockets ahead of time and keep them in the fridge until you’re ready to bake. The pockets are wonderfully savory and creamy on the inside, with crisp edges that provide that always-satisfying crunch. Dip them in a little marinara sauce for the perfect bite.

Ingredients
2.5 oz (1/4 package) frozen spinach, thawed and drained
1/2 cup part-skim ricotta
garlic powder, to taste
Italian seasoning, to taste
10 small square wonton wrappers

Directions
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly greased aluminum foil. Set aside.

Next, prepare the filling: combine the spinach, ricotta, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning in a small bowl. Mix well and adjust to taste.

Make the pockets: lay a wrapper on a clean, dry surface. Place a heaping teaspoon of the spinach-ricotta mixture in the middle of the wrapper. Dip your finger in a little water and rub it along all four edges. Pull the corners of the wrapper together over the filling and pinch tightly to seal. Repeat this process until all ten wrappers are filled.

Place the pockets on the prepared baking sheet and mist them lightly with cooking spray to help them brown. Cook in the oven for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the corners of the pockets become crisp and brown. Serve warm, with marinara sauce for dipping. Enjoy!

Quick, Easy, Good: Creamy Shrimp and Asparagus Pasta

Kamille — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 01:16:43 +0000

My name is Kamille, and I am a shrimp addict.

It’s hard for me to remember when my shrimp obsession began. It would have to be well after I was 9 or 10. Around that time, my big brother shared the pleasant news that the veins in shrimp were “doo-doo.” To be more precise (and less of a fifth-grader), the vein you see on the back of a shrimp is the digestive tract. While it is certainly better to remove it whenever possible, nothing BAD will happen to you if you eat it. Of course, these details escaped me at the time. I refused to eat shrimp for a few years (doo-doo veins or no).

Fortunately, I soon got over this senseless phobia. I am now one of the top five consumers of shrimp in the nation. (Numerous unscientific studies confirm.) One of my best friends is also a member of this elite group. After seeing a recent shrimp-filled post, she expressed clear frustration at my failure to share the shrimpy-wealth. I’ve known this woman for nearly a decade: she meant business. So I made this shrimp and asparagus pasta for our ladies’ lunch on Sunday afternoon.

You all know the drill by now: this dish is simple, easy, and delicious. That’s just the kind of food I believe in. And did I mention it’s under 300 calories per serving?

The pasta’s creaminess is thanks to judicious use of ricotta cheese — just add a dollop to the hot noodles at the end. The flavor of asparagus infuses both the pasta and the shrimp; you’ll be able to really taste it throughout the dish. If you’re not an asparagus fan, broccoli would make a great substitute.

Recipe after the jump!

Ingredients
6 oz high fiber spaghetti or linguine
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 small onion, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 lb raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 lb asparagus, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 6.5-oz can minced clams, undrained
1/4 cup (62 g) part skim ricotta cheese
juice from 1/2 lemon
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning

Directions
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook the pasta in the water until al dente. Drain and set aside.

Warm the olive oil in a large pan or Dutch oven over medium heat. While the oil is coming to temperature, season the shrimp to taste with salt and pepper; set aside.

Once the oil is hot, add the garlic and onions to the pan. When the onions begin to soften, add in the shrimp and asparagus. Toss well and cover. Allow the shrimp and asparagus to steam in the pan, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. When the shrimp are opaque and the asparagus is bright green, add the pasta, undrained clams, and ricotta to the pan.

Lower the heat. Use a pair of tongs to toss well — move the cheese around to incorporate it into the sauce. Finally, season the pasta with the lemon juice and Italian herbs. Adjust to taste. Enjoy!

Simple and Springy: Tuna Pasta Salad

Kamille — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 00:06:05 +0000

You guys, I’m so excited. I totally saw the sun today. I haven’t worn my parka in over a week. Spring is finally, finally here. What does that mean? It’s almost potluck season. And what does THAT mean? It’s time to break out the pasta salad.

Even if you’re not potlucking it up, pasta salad is a great thing to make during warmer months, when good produce is fresh and plentiful. It’s a serious workhorse. I love to make a huge batch of pasta salad on Sunday and chip away at it throughout the week. It gets better and better the longer it sits in the fridge: tangier, zestier… pasta-ier? Ok, maybe not that last one. Still, a good pasta salad gets appreciably more delicious as time goes on.

This tuna pasta salad is a slight variation on my usual recipe. I was poking around in my pantry the other day, looking for inspiration, and I saw that I had a stack of canned tuna that was a foot high. BOOM. Protein source found.

The tuna works great in this dish — it plays nicely with the red onion and lemony dressing. To keep the tuna’s flavor from overpowering the rest of the ingredients, I added just one can and made sure to drain it well. The tuna adds just the right amount of salt and makes the pasta feel extra-filling.

Here’s how I put everything together.

Ingredients
For the salad
4 oz (about 1 2/3 cups) high fiber rotini
3 cups broccoli florets
2 cups cauliflower florets
1/2 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 red onion, finely chopped
1/3 cucumber, quartered and sliced
5 radishes, cut into half moons
1 5-oz can chunk light tuna, drained

For the dressing
2 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1/2 tablespoon fresh basil, finely chopped
1/8 teaspoon salt
black pepper, to taste

Directions
Start by blanching the broccoli. Fill a medium-sized pot with several cups of water — enough for the broccoli to float freely. Bring the pot to boil and add the broccoli. When the broccoli turn bright green (this will take literally less than a minute), use a slotted spoon to remove the florets from the water. Rinse them well with cold water to stop the cooking process, drain, and set aside.

Using the same pot of boiling water, cook the rotini until al dente, following the package instructions. Once again, drain well and rinse with cold water.

Combine the cooked pasta, broccoli, and the rest of the vegetables in a large bowl. Flake the tuna with a fork to break up any large chunks; add it to the salad. Whisk together all of the ingredients for the dressing, and adjust to taste. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss well.

Refrigerate the pasta salad for at least an hour before serving to allow the flavors to come together. Enjoy!

Super-Fast, Super-Easy: Shrimp Couscous with Lemon and Herbs

Kamille — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 00:12:36 +0000

I always seem to forget how easy it is to make couscous. Since most grocery store couscous (actually a kind of pasta, by the way) is pre-steamed, it’s ready in minutes. And I mean that literally: couscous finishes cooking in five minutes. For a food that doesn’t come out of a suspect box, loaded with sodium and mystery ingredients, that’s pretty amazing.

Shrimp is another super-fast (and super-delicious) food. Shrimp + couscous = your weeknight dinner, made easy. After I made this meal, I immediately became annoyed at myself for (1) not thinking of it sooner and (2) not making couscous more often.

I love the flavors in this dish. The shrimp are seasoned liberally with a mix of dried Italian herbs and black pepper — no oil or marinating necessary. Mixed peppers add a little sweetness, while the lemon keeps the couscous bright.

This is an awesome recipe for company. “Shrimp couscous with lemon and herbs” — it sounds so fancy, right? Like the person who made it drinks wine from a stemmed glass and reads Proust! (For the record, I drink $8 moscato from a tumbler and read almost nothing but cookbooks these days. Deal with it.) Really though, it’s something simple enough for all us plebs to make. You can whip up this dish in the time it takes to watch an episode of Community. Love it.

Read the recipe for after the jump!

Ingredients
2/3 cup couscous
2/3 cup water
2 tablespoons lemon juice, divided
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 onion, diced (about 1/2 cup)
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup frozen mixed pepper strips, defrosted and chopped
1/8 teaspoon salt
12 oz (about 45) medium-sized peeled and deveined shrimp
black pepper, to taste
Italian seasoning, to taste

Directions
Combine the water and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice in a sauce pan. Bring to boil. Add the dry couscous to the pan and stir lightly. Cover and remove from heat. Allow the couscous to sit for about five minutes, until all the liquid is absorbed. Fluff with a fork and set aside.

Place the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. When the oil begins to shimmer, add the onions and garlic. Cook until the onions soften and become fragrant. Add the mixed peppers to the pan. Stir well.

Lower the heat and incorporate the cooked couscous in with the vegetables. Season with salt and black pepper, adding the remaining lemon juice if desired. Adjust to taste. Stir to combine and set aside.

Season the shrimp liberally with Italian seasoning and black pepper. Cook the shrimp on a hot grill (or grill pan) until the shrimp are opaque — just a minute or so on each side. Serve immediately over warm couscous. Enjoy!

Spring Side: Roasted Baby Artichokes

Kamille — Sun, 07 Apr 2013 23:49:36 +0000

Spring is officially here. Since today was still windy and cold enough for wool coats to be in order, I’m guessing no one mentioned this to Mother Nature. I’m hoping that I can summon warm weather with kitchen optimism. Case in point? These roasted baby artichokes.

Artichokes, like asparagus and sugar snap peas, are a sign of springtime. They require a little bit of work to trim, but the preparation is definitely time well-spent. Take some fresh baby artichokes, cut to them to their tender middles, and toss them with some olive oil and herbs. After a few minutes in the oven, it’ll hit you: that delicious, fruity aroma as the chokes caramelize on the pan.

These roasted baby artichokes are a beautiful side. I think they pair especially nicely with fish, like tilapia (my favorite budget fish) or sole. For an extra treat, you can shave a little parmesan or pecorino romano on top. Here’s how I put my roasted chokes together.

Ingredients
1 lemon
9 baby artichokes
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon dried thyme
freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
salt, to taste

Directions
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Cut the lemon in half and squeeze its juice into a medium-sized bowl. Place the halves in the bowl along with the juice and fill the bowl halfway with water. Set aside. Next, prepare the artichokes: give them a quick rinse and pull away the tough outer leaves until you reach the soft, slightly yellow leaves on the inside. Cut 1/4-inch from the top of each artichoke, trim the stem, and slice in half. As you finish trimming the artichokes, place them in the lemon water to keep them from browning.

Drain the prepared artichokes well and pat them with a paper towel to remove any excess moisture. Place the artichokes in a fresh bowl and drizzle with the olive oil. Toss well to coat. Spread the artichokes on a baking sheet lined with foil for easy cleanup. Sprinkle the thyme over the pan. Season liberally with the salt and black pepper.

Roast in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes, flipping the artichokes halfway through. Serve immediately.

Quick, Easy, Good: 15-Minute Veggie Flatbread

Kamille — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 00:05:51 +0000

It’s Tuesday night. The week has just started, and you have a million things on your brain. Between the chaos of work and the michegas that is your personal life, the whole shaved-head-and-life-of-solitude thing is starting to sound pretty good. You take a look around your messy apartment, stop at your fridge, and it hits you: you’re going to have to eat at some point. Fear not, friends. This veggie flatbread recipe is here to save you. Start to finish, it takes 15 minutes or less.

There are two shortcuts that make this recipe so speedy. The first? Store-bought pasta sauce. I know, I know — blasphemy! It’s so easy to make good pasta sauce that buying it pre-made just isn’t necessary. Still, when my hanger has reached its peak and I lack the spiritual strength to summon my inner Mario Batali, jarred pasta sauce is a lifesaver.

The other shortcut for this recipe is one of my pantry staples: low-carb lavash. I buy packs of these things two or three at a time. They’re soft and pliable, great for making wraps and roll-ups. Baked in the oven, the thin bread browns and crisps like a dream. At around 100 calories each, a low-carb lavash is a healthy alternative to a thin restaurant crust.

This veggie flatbread always satisfies my pizza cravings. Augment that jarred pasta sauce with some chili flakes and fresh basil, add some melty cheese, and finish with beautiful, fresh vegetables. As always, make whatever swaps you like — artichoke hearts, Brussels sprouts, and bell peppers would be wonderful here. For a bit of extra protein, try adding chicken or shrimp. And if you have homemade sauce on hand, all the better — use that instead.

Ingredients
1 whole low-carb lavash
1/2 teaspoon fresh basil
1/8 teaspoon chili flakes, or to taste
2 tablespoons (40 g) light pasta sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons (14 g) shredded four-cheese pizza blend
1/4 cup baby spinach, roughly chopped
4-5 grape tomatoes, chopped
1/4 cup sliced onion

Directions
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lay the lavash on a pizza stone or baking sheet and place it in the oven for 3 to 4 minutes, until the edges begin to brown and the lavash starts to crisp. Remove from the oven and set aside.

Next, prepare the sauce: combine the jarred pasta sauce with the basil and chili flakes in a small bowl. Adjust to taste. Plop the sauce onto the middle of the lavash and spread it around with the back of a spoon. Top with the cheese, spinach, tomatoes, and onions. Return the flatbread to the oven for another 3 to 4 minutes, until the cheese has melted and tomatoes have softened. Serve hot.

Sunday Supper: Balsamic Chicken with Cauliflower & Zucchini

Kamille — Sun, 24 Mar 2013 23:37:05 +0000

As you know, I love a good chicken thigh. This one-pot recipe (another of my kitchen loves) makes great use of them. I took bone-in chicken thighs, removed the skin, and braised them in balsamic vinegar and Italian herbs. Once the chicken was done, I added in a heaping bowl of chopped cauliflower and zucchini.

I’ve loved cauliflower since my time as a big-haired kindergartener. More often than not, I would have something like rice and dried fish for lunch. On the days when my mom made me something Western instead, she’d always pack me a raw cauliflower salad to have on the side. Zucchini is one of my favorites too — it’s so versatile! They had it on sale for pennies a pound at the grocery store this week, so I had plenty on hand to use for this dish.

The great thing about this balsamic chicken is how well all of the ingredients work together. The sauce, a bit spicy and fragrant with dried herbs, is enriched by the cooking juices of the chicken. The chicken, in turn, takes on all the tangy, rich flavors from the diced tomatoes and balsamic vinegar. The cauliflower and zucchini complete the meal. All that in one pot!

This balsamic chicken is certainly substantial enough to eat on its own — all those vegetables go a long way towards a full stomach. That said, it would be wonderful served over your favorite grain; I think couscous or quinoa would be especially nice. You could even have it over pasta or along with a piece of crusty French bread.

Read on to learn how to put this dish together!

Ingredients
To brown the chicken:
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, sliced
4 bone-in chicken thighs, skins removed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

For the sauce:
1 14.5-oz can no salt added diced tomatoes, drained
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar*
1/2 cup water, divided
1/2 small onion, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/4 teaspoon chili flakes
1 bay leaf
2 cups cauliflower, broken into florets
1 large zucchini, chopped

*If you’re worried the chicken might turn out too vinegary for your tastes, start with 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar and increase as needed. You can also add a pinch of sugar to the sauce at the end to cut the acidity.

Directions
Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pan on medium. Quickly sauté the garlic, taking care to remove and discard it as soon as it begins to brown. If the garlic burns, it’ll add unwanted bitterness to the sauce. Season the chicken thighs on both sides with salt and pepper; add them to the oil. Cook the chicken until golden brown — about 6 to 7 minutes per side.

Add the balsamic vinegar, 1/4 cup water, sliced onion, spices, and bay leaf to the pan. Bring to boil and reduce the heat slightly. Cover the pan and simmer for 30 minutes, flipping the chicken halfway through.

Remove the chicken thighs from the pan and place them in a dish for serving. (You can cover them with foil and leave them in a 150-200°F oven to keep them warm.) Use a slotted spoon to remove the bay leaf from the sauce.

Adjust the seasonings in the sauce to taste. Further reduce the heat to medium low, and add the cauliflower, zucchini, and remaining 1/4 cup water. Cook uncovered for about 5 to 6 minutes, until the vegetables are crisp tender and the sauce has reduced slightly. Serve alongside the chicken. Enjoy!

Simple Snack: Baked Lotus Root “Chips”

Kamille — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 18:11:16 +0000

I first had lotus root at a great little Korean restaurant in town. I had no idea what it was. My first thought? “…This may or may not be a cross section of ET’s pancreas.” Once I got over the initial shock, I began to appreciate the beauty of the plate. I took my first bite and was instantly hooked: the lotus root was delicious. It was tender and slightly sticky, simmered in soy sauce and something sweet. I’m still working out how to replicate that dish. During the course of my many (many, many) experimentations, I’ve found that lotus root makes a fantastic baked chip.

Lotus root is starchy — not unlike a potato, actually. After a quick, tenderizing boil in water and vinegar, I give the lotus root the same treatment I would give oven-cooked spuds. I grab a few of my favorite spices, season the lotus root liberally, and toss them in a hot oven. This simple process yields a lovely, flavorful snack. The baked lotus root chips are crisp at the edges and tender in the middle, a little chewy throughout. I like to eat them with a little bit of spicy-sweet gochujang on the side.

I usually use my favorite seasoning trio of chili, garlic, and onion powders, but you can change the flavors in a million different ways. The lotus root works beautifully with just about anything. Try it with garam masala for an Indian flair; for a Latin touch, try adobo or a mix of cumin, garlic, and parsley. If you like spicy North African flavors, harissa is a great choice.

Detailed instructions after the jump!

Ingredients
1 lb fresh lotus root (whole or packaged and sliced)*
2 tablespoons sodium-free, sugar-free rice vinegar
5 cups water
1 tablespoon chili powder (or to taste)
1 tablespoon garlic powder (or to taste)
1 tablespoon onion powder (or to taste)

*You can find whole lotus root in lots of Asian grocery stores. However, to save myself the trouble of peeling them, I like to buy lotus root that has already been peeled and sliced. You can find this pre-sliced lotus root in the refrigerated section. The packages look like this.

Directions
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Combine the rice vinegar and water in a large pot. If you are using whole, fresh lotus root, peel and slice into pieces 1/4″ thick. Make sure to add sliced pieces to the vinegar-water immediately to prevent browning. If you are using packaged lotus root that has already been peeled and sliced, simply drain and rinse before adding it to the pot of vinegar-water.

Place the pot over high heat and bring to boil. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes, until the lotus root becomes slightly tender. Remove the pot from heat and drain well. Pat the lotus root with a paper towel to remove any excess moisture.

Prepare two baking sheets with parchment paper for easy clean up. Place the lotus root on the baking sheets in a single layer. Combine the chili, garlic, and onion powders in a bowl. Sprinkle half the seasoning blend over the lotus root. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, stopping halfway through to flip the lotus root and season the other side. Serve immediately, with gochujang for dipping. Enjoy!