← Nouns Cooking · Chinese

Ingredients

• 300 g glutinous (sticky) rice
• 2 tbsp coconut oil or lard
• 2 tbsp Sugar
• 150 g sweet red bean paste
• 6 Dried Chinese red dates (jujubes, hong zao), pitted and halved
• 2 tbsp golden raisins
• 1 tbsp Dried goji berries
• 2 tbsp walnut halves or pumpkin seeds
• 2 tbsp sugar, for the syrup
• 200 ml Water
• 1 tsp Cornflour (cornstarch)

Method

1. Rinse the rice and soak it in cold water for at least 4 hours or overnight. Drain.
2. Line a steamer with a damp cloth or baking paper, spread the rice in it and steam over boiling water for 30 min, until tender and translucent. While hot, mix in the coconut oil and 2 tbsp sugar.
3. Grease a 15–18 cm heatproof bowl. Arrange the dates, raisins, goji and walnuts in a pretty pattern over the base and sides.
4. Press half the rice carefully over the fruit, spread the red bean paste in the middle, then cover with the rest of the rice and press flat.
5. Cover and steam the bowl for 25–30 min, until hot through and the rice has fused together.
6. Meanwhile bring the syrup sugar and water to the boil, then stir in the cornflour mixed with a little water and simmer for 1 minute until glossy. Turn the pudding out onto a plate, pour the syrup over and serve warm.

Tips

• "Eight treasures" is a lucky number, not a rule: use any dried fruits, candied fruit or nuts you like.
• Contains walnuts; use pumpkin seeds for a nut-free version.
• Lard is the traditional fat but makes it not vegetarian; coconut oil keeps it vegan.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

Omnivore's Cookbook What To Cook Today Red House Spice