Eight-treasure rice pudding

Eight-treasure rice pudding is a very traditional dessert in Chinese cuisine. The two main ingredients are sweet rice (also called sticky rice or glutinous rice) and adzuki bean paste. For the preparation of adzuki bean paste, please read my old post. This dessert is like upside-down cake, with beautiful and tasty topping, the filling is so soft and creamy, and the rice is shinny.

(1) Steam rice: Soak 1 cup sweet rice at least 5 hours, thoroughly drain and then blend in 4 tbsp water, steam under high power for 15 minutes. Sprinkle some water on the rice and stir a little bit, continue to steam for another 15 minutes. Immediately blend in 3 tbsp sugar, 2 tbsp soft butter and 3 tbsp sweet shredded coconut.

(2) Shape the pudding: Grease container (a bowl -shaped container is ideal) first. Place dried fruits at the bottom of container. I this time use dried apricot and golden raisin. Dried pineapple, cranberry, cherry and mango are also good. Add a layer of sweet rice, then place pitted date and nuts (almond, pecan, walnut...etc) around, add a layer of adzuki bean paste (about 1 cup), thenanother layer of sweet rice.

(3) Steam pudding: Put the bowl in a steamer and steam for 15 minutes under high power.

(4) Serve: Place a serving plate upside down on top of the bowl. Invert the pudding onto the serving plate. Serve warm.