A good Chinese soup tastes full before it tastes salty. The broth has depth, the aroma hits first, and every spoonful has a clean balance of savory, sweet, sour, spicy, and fresh.

Lotus root looks delicate, with its lace-like holes and pale ivory color, but it holds up beautifully in a pot of soup. It can stay crisp in a quick simmer, turn tender in a long braise, and absorb bold seasonings without losing its clean, slightly sweet flavor.