Lotus Root Salad with Hawthorn and Osmanthus

Peel and wash the lotus root. Thinly slice the lotus root, and soak the sliced lotus root in cool water for 20 minutes. Blanch the sliced lotus root in boiling water for 2 minutes. Cut the hawthorn into pieces or slices. Boil the hawthorn, sugar crystals and 10 oz. water with strong heat, until the soup thickens and turns syrup. Soak the blanched lotus root in the hawthorn syrup. Cool the dish, preferably in the fridge. Spread the sweet osmanthus sauce on top of the dish when serving. Note: the sweet osmanthus sauce can be referred to at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Sweetosmanthussauce.jpg