The lotus is a plant that produces beautiful flowers, a crunchy, sweet and delicious root and seeds. You might never have seen the fresh seeds in their pod - or, if you have, you'd be forgiven for thinking they were something from outer space. The pod is large (about 7cm in diameter, although they can be bigger) and covered with small holes that contain the seeds, which are easily extracted by pulling away the rubbery covering. When buying the pods, look for seeds that completely fill their indentation; if the seeds are small, they're immature. The pods are sometimes used in flower arrangements.
Fresh lotus seeds aren't easy to find in the markets, even when they're in season (which is fleeting). The fresh seeds can be eaten raw after pulling off the thin, tough skin (although they should be examined carefully for small holes, which indicate the presence of worms). They have a fresh taste that's very unlike the starchier dried seeds. They are also delicious roasted in salt - the skin becomes brown and flaky and can be rubbed off, and the seed takes on a rich, nutty flavour. They can also be peeled (a tedious task), mixed with a little oil, salt, sugar and chilli powder then roasted in the oven.