Australian
Screen

Teacher’s notes

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This clip shows a close-up of a lotus flower with the voice of presenter Joanna Savill explaining that it is a symbol of purity and fertility. Lotus farmer Jackson So and restaurateur Chang Soo are then shown knee-deep in mud collecting lotus root from their lotus plantation in Ballina, New South Wales. Savill explains that the lotus plant is rarely grown in Australia because of the large amount of water needed to cultivate it. The clip cuts to Savill in Chang’s restaurant, where the chef prepares lotus root in several different ways. At the end of the clip, Savill tastes a piece of lotus root and discusses its flavour with the chefs.

Educational value points

• Immigration has brought cultural diversity to Australia, which is reflected in the wide range of cuisines now available. The two men shown in the clip are Australians of Chinese descent. People with Chinese heritage have lived in Australia since 1840, when convict transportation ceased and sources of cheap labour had to be found. The centuries-old Chinese diaspora throughout Asia has ensured that Australia includes people of Chinese background from Malaysia, Vietnam and Singapore, as well as from China itself.

• Chinese diggers first set up market gardens on the gold fields during the Australian gold rushes of the mid-1800s and continued to provide food for miners through later gold rushes. This led to the popularising of Chinese cuisines and was an important step in the establishment of Chinese food shops and restaurants in Australia.

• The lotus plant is composed of water, calcium, potassium, sodium and phosphorus, and its petals, leaves, stalk, seeds and rhizome (underground stem or root) are all edible. The seeds are a source of protein and are low in fibre, while the rhizome is a source of vitamin C and iron, and contains no fat. The starchy rhizome can be used in a variety of ways, including in soups and stir-fries, and the seeds are often used in desserts or preserved in syrup.

• The clip mentions the importance of the lotus as a symbol of purity and fertility. In Buddhism the lotus also symbolises peace, creative power, rebirth and enlightenment. The Buddha is often depicted sitting on a lotus flower and those who meditate and practise yoga sometimes sit in what is called the 'lotus’ position. The lotus is claimed to have healing properties and all parts of the plant are widely used in Chinese medicine.

• Jackson So was the first commercial lotus farmer in Australia. He has been growing it for 10 years and has Australia’s largest crop. Lotus plantations are also in operation in the Northern Territory, Queensland and Victoria.

• The lotus plant is grown in shallow water in ponds and swamps. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, more than 70 per cent of Australia’s water is used in agriculture. While the market for lotus is a relatively small one, the suitability of growing other water-hungry crops in drought-ridden Australia, particularly rice and cotton, is an important issue of debate.

• The clip is taken from the SBS television series The Food Lovers’ Guide to Australia, which was created by Joanna Savill and Maeve O’Meara in 1996. Savill and O’Meara were inspired to create the series after meeting cooks and food producers from different cultures and backgrounds working in Australia. The series was judged 'Best Food/Drink Show’ in the 2005 World Food Media Awards. The program consists of five series of 13 episodes each.

• Joanna Savill, the presenter in the clip, is a journalist as well as a television producer and presenter. She is a regular writer for a number of publications, including the Sydney Morning Herald’s Good Living and Australian Good Taste magazines. She is also the author of the SBS Eating Guides and co-author of the book Lamingtons and Lemongrass. She has lived and worked in many European countries and has travelled extensively.

• Maeve O’Meara is the co-presenter of The Food Lovers’ Guide to Australia and wrote Lamingtons and Lemongrass with Joanna Savill. O’Meara is a journalist, an award-winning television producer and presenter, a food book reviewer for Australian Gourmet Traveller, and a cooking presenter on the television program Better Homes and Gardens. O’Meara takes groups on exotic food tours around Australia and overseas.