Eight-Treasure Glutinous Rice Cake

Known as ba bao fan, this gluten-free Chinese New Year favorite can be enjoyed any time of the year. Feel free to experiment with your favorite dried fruits, so long as the number, when included with the red bean paste, equals the fortuitous 8. For a festive red-hued cake, use about 1⁄2 cup chopped dried scarlet pink dragon fruit in lieu of one of the other chopped fruits—its red pigment acts as a natural food coloring, while its tiny black seeds resemble sprinkles.

MAKES 8 TO 10 SERVINGS

1 1⁄2 cups glutinous rice

1⁄4 cup chopped dried apricots, soaked in warm water to cover 20 minutes, or until softened, drained well

1⁄4 cup chopped dried pears, soaked in warm water to cover 20 minutes, or until softened, drained well

1⁄4 cup chopped dried mango, soaked in warm water to cover 20 minutes, or until softened, drained well

1⁄4 cup chopped dried pineapple, soaked in warm water to cover 20 minutes, or until softened, drained well

1⁄4 cup chopped dried peaches, soaked in warm water to cover 20 minutes, or until softened, drained well

1⁄4 cup chopped dried pitted red dates (jujubes), soaked in warm water to cover 20 minutes, or until softened, drained well

2 tablespoons raisins

1⁄2 tablespoon peanut oil or canola oil

1 cup prepared sweet red bean paste (adzuki) or Sweet Red Bean Paste

1 cup water

3 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons cornstarch mixed with 2 teaspoons water

Bring a medium stockpot filled with salted water to a boil over high heat; add the rice and reduce the heat slightly. Cook, stirring occasionally, until just tender, about 12 minutes. Drain well. Transfer the rice to a large bowl and add the dried fruits, mixing well to thoroughly combine.

Grease a steam-proof 8-cup/2-quart bowl with the oil. Place half the rice mixture in the bowl. Using the back of a wet spoon, pack it down firmly and make a slight indentation in the center for the red bean paste. Place the red bean paste in the center and spread it evenly along the indentation. Top with the remainder of rice mixture, packing it down firmly and making it level and smooth. (At this point, completely cooled mixture can be covered and refrigerated up to 24 hours before continuing with the recipe.)

Place a steamer basket in a tall stockpot filled with about 2 inches of water. Place the bowl of rice in the steamer basket and bring the water to a boil over high heat. Immediately reduce the heat to medium, cover, and steam 25 minutes (add about 10 minutes if mixture was refrigerated). Uncover and let cool a few minutes. In a small saucepan, bring water and sugar to a boil over high heat. Stir in the cornstarch mixture and reduce the heat to medium. Cook, stirring constantly, until thickened into thin syrup, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and keep syrup warm.

Carefully remove rice bowl from the steamer basket. Let stand about 10 minutes to allow rice grains to harden slightly. Pass the tip of a dinner knife around the edge of the rice cake to loosen it. Invert onto a warmed deep-welled serving platter. (The cake should slip out easily.) Pour half the syrup evenly over the cake. To serve, cut into wedges using a sharp knife and transfer with a pie wedge to deep-welled serving plates. Either drizzle each serving with equal amounts of remaining syrup, or pass the syrup separately.

{PER SERVING} (includes syrup) Calories 317 • Protein 6g • Total Fat 2g • Sat Fat 0g • Cholesterol 0mg • Carbohydrate 73g • Dietary Fiber 4g • Sodium 8mg

hancheng

See author's posts