Chinese Rice Pudding: An Edible Treasure

A Chinese rice pudding is delicious and festive, looks like your special work of art, but is simple and easy to make.

Its personality comes from a couple of Chinese ingredients readily available in the local super market.

• Use glutinous rice which becomes very soft and sticky when cooked and assures your pudding will be creamy and unctuous.
• Use red or sweet bean paste, made of red beans and sugar. Look for it in a can on the shelf with other Chinese ingredients.
• If you can find them, Chinese preserved or candied fruits add interest. Look for sugared lotus seeds, honeyed dates, ginkgo nuts, canned or peeled and pitted dried lichee, brandied white raisins, peaches, or figs.

An assortment of Western candied fruits is also delicious.

Makes 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients

• 1 cup glutinous rice
• 1 cup cold water
• ¾ cups red bean paste
• 2 Tbsp sugar
• 2 Tbsp oil
• 1 cup Chinese or Western preserved or candid mixed fruits

Preparation

1. Rinse and drain rice. Put into saucepan, add water, and bring to a boil. Turn heat very low, cover, and let rice steam-cook for 30 minutes.
2. In the meantime, soften red bean paste by putting it into a glass, and the glass into a pan of hot water, for 30 minutes.
3. When rice has cooked, add sugar and oil, stirring until well mixed.
4. Oil 3- or 4-cup sloping heatproof bowl well with oil.
5. The Chinese fruits are usually in large pieces that are oddly-shaped and colorful. Slice them smaller and thinner, and arrange in a pattern along the bottom and sides of the dish. If they tend to move around, hold the piece of fruit in place with bits of rice as you arrange any pattern you choose.
6. Divide rice into 3 portions. Stir softened red bean paste and divide it into 2 portions.
7. Spread 1 portion of rice over the fruits, pressing lightly to form a firm layer.
8. Fill the bowl with alternate layers of red bean paste and rice, smoothing the final layer of rice with the back of a spoon to pack it down. This can be done up to 4 days in advance; in fact, the flavor and texture improve with mellowing. Cover and refrigerate; bring out just before steaming.
9. Set bowl in a steamer and steam over medium heat for 1 to 1 ½ hours, until piping hot and very soft.
10. Near the end of cooking time, make the sauce:

Ingredients

• 1 cup water
• ¼ cup sugar, or to taste
• 2 tsps cornstarch, dissolved in 2 Tbsp water

Preparation

1. Bring water and sugar to a boil in a small saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Turn heat low, add the dissolved cornstarch, and stir until smooth. Turn off heat, cover, and keep warm.

To finish the pudding:

1. Remove pudding from steamer and invert over a serving plate.
2. Touch up the fruit pattern if it is askew. Pour sauce on top of pudding and serve hot.
3. As an added festive touch, heat 1 ounce cognac or rum, pour it over the pudding, and set it ablaze.
4. Extinguish flame, if necessary. Cut a small wedge of pudding and serve with a spoonful of sauce along side.