Posted 2018/3/1
Eight-treasure Rice Pudding is a traditional Chinese dessert popular throughout the country. Its formulation is largely identical but with minor differences in different places. First, steam glutinous rice, stir sugar, lard and sweet-scented osmanthus into the cooked rice, put it into a vessel with Chinese dates, seeds of Job’s tears, lotus seeds, and longan pulp, etc, steam again, put on sugar dressing and then it can be served. It tastes sweet and delicious, and is a best specialty at festivals and for entertaining guests.
The "eight treasures" rice pudding is good in color, smell, taste and appearance.
It is said that Eight-treasure Rice Pudding originated from the ancient Eight-treasure Picture. Early Eight-treasure Rice Pudding consists of cooked glutinous rice, sugar and lard, raisins like lotus seeds, Chinese dates, preserved kumquat, longan pulp, preserved cherry, jackfruit, seeds of Job’s tears, and shelled melon seeds, and red and green shredded plum. It not only smells good and tastes delicious, but also carries rich connotations. Lotus seeds stands for harmonious and happy marriage; longan pulp for reunion; kumquat for good luck; Chinese dates for giving birth to the first baby as soon as possible; preserved cherry and jackfruit for a sweet life; seeds of Job’s tears for longevity, elegance and innocence; shelled melon seeds for a regular and peaceful life; red shredded plum for encouragement and blessings; and green shredded plum for pine and longevity. Later, ingredients for Eight-treasure Rice Pudding were gradually simplified. Preserved fruits of varied colors replaced preserved kumquat, preserved cherry, jackfruit, and red and green shredded plum. Aromatic spices, like golden sweet osmanthus, were added, implying “Gold and Jade” because golden sweet osmanthus has the same color with gold and the cooked glutinous rice is as white as jade (yu in Chinese).
