Mala Noodle Soup with Lotus Root

Is this seriously not the most gorgeous pot of noodle soup you've ever seen?  This "mala noodle soup" is from a local hot pot restaurant called Little Dipper Hot Pot House.  As you can guess from the photo, it's a spicy amalgamation of vegetables, tofu, broth, an egg, noodles, and mala spices. The Sichuan peppercorn creates that delicious flavor that  is both "ma" meaning "numbing" and "la" meaning spicy.

Want to put something together like this?  Be sure to include the thin slices of lotus root like you see at the left of the photo - the round sliced thing with holes throughout (created by the air chambers that run through the root of the lotus plant). It will take this visual feast over the top!