Eight Treasure Rice (八宝饭, Chinese Rice Pudding)

6 standard portions

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Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) glutinous rice
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil ((or shortening))
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 4 tablespoons red bean paste
• 3 jujubes
• 1 tablespoon golden raisins
• 1 tablespoon pumpkin seeds
• 1/2 tablespoon goji berries
• 1 walnut half
• 1 cup water
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 heaping tablespoon dried chrysanthemum buds
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch

Method

1. Cover the glutinous rice with 2” (5cm) cold water and soak it for a minimum of 3 hours, preferably overnight.
2. Once soaked, drain off the water and rinse the rice a few times.
3. Prepare your steamer by bringing the water to a boil.
4. Add the soaked rice into a heat-proof bowl and place it on the steamer rack. Steam, covered, for 30 minutes for overnight-soaked rice, or for 45 minutes for 3-hour-soaked rice. Once done, the rice should be edible, but still quite tough.
5. While steaming the rice, arrange the rice toppings in the base of a wide heat-proof bowl. (*Footnote 2)
6. Once the rice is steamed, add the coconut oil and sugar. Stir thoroughly until the sugar melts and the rice is evenly coated with oil.
7. Press the seasoned rice into the bowl with the toppings. Be careful not to disturb the pattern you’ve created. Fill two thirds of the bowl with rice while creating a dent in the middle for the red bean paste.
8. Add the red bean paste in the middle and use the back of a spoon to flatten it into a thin layer.
9. Add the rest of the rice and use a spoon to flatten it.
10. At this stage, you can store the rice, covered with plastic wrap, in the fridge for 1 to 2 days. Follow the rest of the instructions prior to serving.
11. Place the assembled rice back to the steamer and steam it for an additional 30 minutes.
12. Prepare the syrup while steaming the assembled rice. Combine the water, sugar, and chrysanthemum buds in a small saucepan and heat it over medium heat until boiling. Turn to medium-low heat. Simmer for 10 minutes.
13. Mix the cornstarch with 1 teaspoon of water until the cornstarch has dissolved completely.
14. When the chrysanthemum mixture is cooked, pour in the cornstarch slurry. Keep cooking and stirring constantly, until the syrup slightly thickens. Pour the syrup over a strainer into a bowl and discard the chrysanthemum buds.
15. When the treasure rice is done steaming, drizzle a few spoons of syrup onto the rice. Let it sit for 10 minutes.
16. To plate the rice, put a plate over the bowl and flip it in one swift motion. Remove the bowl and pour the remaining syrup over top of it. Serve warm.
17. The cooked treasure rice can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. You can reheat it in the microwave.