Peel and grate half a carrot and set aside. Prepare lotus root by peeling the skin. Then, cut off the ends. Rinse lotus root throughly in water. Sometimes theres dirt in the holes of the lotus root. Use a chopstick to clean dirt.
Thinly slice ¼ lotus root with a mandolin or knife (be careful ◡̈ ). Add thinly sliced lotus roots in water to get rid of excess starch (or else it will be stringy). Then, grate the rest of the lotus root and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, add ground pork, grated lotus roots, grated carrot, 1 sliced green onion, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon sugar, ½ teaspoon chicken bouillon, 1 tbs water, 1 tbs soy sauce and 1 egg. Mix together in one direction for at least 25 times.
After mixing, add an additional tablespoon of water and some corn starch. Mix together in one direction for another 25 times until the meat is gelatinous and soft. My dad uses this technique for tender and juicy meat patties!
In a low medium frying pan, add 1 tbs oil. Once hot, slow add 1.5-2.5 tablespoons of filling on the pan. Cook for 2-3 minutes on each side. Once cooked on both sides, add thinly sliced lotus root on top for an extra crunch (and aesthetic). Cooking Tip: Try not to overcrowd the pan (4-6 max on a pan) to ensure even cooking of the lotus cakes!
Enjoy the lotus roots with some rice and leafy vegetables (like spinach or broccoli!)