For dry lotus seeds, people washed and soaked them in cool water. Lotus seed are rarely soaked in burnt rice husk water or other liquids. As Hue people are afraid of losing the original fragrance, lotus seeds are steamed before being cooked with white refined sugar or alum sugar. When the lotus seeds are sweetened, it’s time to finish the dish. For a tasty dish, the cook should watch out the fire, gently stir and cook the dish in exact time. If the lotus seed is overcooked, it loses its original fragrance. If the lotus seed is under-cooked, it is not fragrant as it really is. The natural lotus flavor can not be replaced by any man made substances.

Lotus seeds and logan sweet soup is the best version of lotus sweet soup. Ivory-colored lotus seeds and crystal white logan create the harmonious pure color for the dish. The cooked lotus seeds wrapped in gentle, crunchy logan may satisfy diners of all ages. The best Hue lotus seed sweet soup is made from lotus seed grown in Tinh Tam lake and logan grown in the Imperial City.

Located in the North East of Hue Citadel, Tinh Tam lake has been famous for growing lotus for hundreds of year. It is home to the most beautiful lotus and delicious lotus seed in Hue. Tinh Tam lotus seeds as well as other Hue well-known dishes have become local gifts which appeared in poems and songs written about Hue. Logan is grown in streets around the Citadel. Before harvest season, they are carefully wrapped to protect them from insects. There are two kinds of logan. One is waterful while the other is drier and more crunchy. The later type is used to wrap the lotus seed. The logan grown in the Imperial City is big enough to wrap the lotus seed from Tinh Tam lake. Therefore, meticulous cooks may replace logan seeds by lotus seeds without losing its original look.

Lotus seeds wrapped in logan is boiled with sugar water or cooled alum sugar water. The fragrance of lotus seed, logan and alum sugar create an appetizing dish. Do not hesitate to taste the special sweet soup if you visit Hue.