Lotus is my most favorite flower not only because of its fragrance, but also its versatility in Vietnamese cuisine. We use all parts of the plant for various purposes: flower petals to infuse green tea; leaves to wrap pastries; lotus roots in savory and sweet dishes, and lotus sprouts as seen here in a typical salad.
Growing up I have fallen in love with lotus sprout salads as my mom used to take me to the market with her every weekend and we always had this salad as a weekend special dish.
And it is just so simple to make: no cooking needed, just raw sprouts (soaked in sour water to prevent oxidization) seasoned well with sugar, salt, chillies, and lime juice. Then we can add other elements such as carrots and proteins, finished with a bunch of herbs, notably Vietnamese mint called rau răm, and a handful of peanuts.
The taste is a combination and balance of sweetness, tanginess, acidity and salt. One bite and it gives all the spectrum of tastes with the crunch and aroma of the lotus sprouts.