Recipe - Pa-Pao-Fan (Eight Treasure Rice Pudding)

2 cup Glutinous rice
One fourth cup Lard
One half pound Pitted dates; finely chopped
8 Whole dates; cut in half
1 cup Canned red bean paste
20 Dried jujubes
2 tablespoon Sugar
2 tablespoon Melted lard
Red & green candied cherries

SYRUP
One fourth cup Sugar
1 cup ;cold water
1 teaspoon Almond extract
1 tablespoon Cornstarch; dissolve in
3 tablespoon ;cold water

"This dessert is known as eighttreasure or eightprecious or even
eightjewel pudding because in China the design on the top of it was made
with 8 different kinds of dried and candied fruits or nuts such as dried
lotus seeds, candied green or red plums, seeded dragon's eye nuts,
watermelon seeds, preserved dates, dried jujubes, candied orange peel,
candied red or green cherries, and blanched walnuts. The version described
here is simply decorated with pitted dates, dried jujubes and candied
cherries."

Prepare ahead: 1. In a large bowl, cover the rice with cold water and soak
for 2 hours.

2. In a 12inch wok or 10inch skillet, melt the One fourth cup lard over moderate
heat. Add the chopped dates and redbean paste, and cook over low heat,
stirring frequently, for 20 minutes, or until the mixture begins to come
away from the sides of the pan. emove from the pan to a small bowl and cool
to room temperature.

3. Combine the jujubes and 2 cups cold water in a 2quart saucepan. Over
high heat, bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and
simmer the jujubes, covered, for about 10 minutes. Drain the jujubes
through a sieve, and, when they are cool enough to handle, cut them in half
and remove and discard the pits.

4. Have the rice, date and beanpaste mixture, jujubes, cherries, sugar,
water, almond extract and cornstarch all within easy reach.

To cook: 5. Pour enough boiling water into the lower part of a steamer to
come within an inch of the cooking rack (or use a steamer substitute). Line
the rack with a double layer of paper towels. Drain the rice and spread it
evenly over the lined rack. Over high heat, bring the water in the steamer
to a rolling boil, cover the pan tightly and steam the rice for 30 minutes,
or until the rice is thoroughly cooked, replenishing the water if it boils
away.

6. Transfer the rice to a bowl, and stir into it the 2 tablespoons of sugar
and 2 tablespoons of melted lard. Spoon half the rice into a shallow
heatproof bowl (about 6 inches across and 3 inches deep). On top, place
the redbeanpaste mixture, spreading it to within One half inch of the sides of
the bowl. Place the remaining rice over it, spreading it out evenly to the
edges of the bowl and pressing down on it lightly with the palm of your
hand. Put an inverted dinner plate over the top of the bowl, and, grasping
the edges of both the plate and the bowl, turn them over together. Lift the
bowl up gently to unmold the pudding.

7. Now decorate the sides and top of the pudding with the jujubes, halved
dates and candied cherries. Any sort of design you devise would be proper.
For instance, the bottom edge of the pudding may be decorated with a row of
date halves spaced about an inch apart, the top edge rimmed with jujubes,
laid side by side, and the top of the pudding ornamented with flowers and
leaves made of cherries.

8. When the decoration is complete, gently spread a long piece of plastic
wrap over it to hold the fruit in place, invert the bowl again and
carefully set it over the top of the pudding. Grasping the edges of the
bowl and plate together, turn the bowl over and remove the plate. Bring the
water in the steamer to a boil again, place the bowl on the rack and cover
the pan tightly. Steam the pudding for an hour, replenishing the water when
it boils away. Have a kettle of boiling water handy.

To Serve: 9. A few minutes before the pudding is done, make the syrup by
combining the One fourth cup of sugar with the cup of water in a small saucepan
and boiling it until the sugar dissolves. Add the almond extract, give the
cornstarch mixture a quick stir to recombine it and sitr it into the syrup.
Cook, stirring, for a few seconds until the syrup thickens slightly and
becomes clear. Now remove the pudding from the steamer and place a circular
serving plate over it. Grasping bowl and plate securely, turn them over.
The pudding should slide out easily. Carefully peel off the plastic wrap.
Pour the hot syrup over the pudding and serve at once.

Source: TimeLife Foods of the World: Chinese Cooking

Posted to MMRecipes Digest V4 #082 by Linda Place
placel@worldnet.att.net on Mar 22, 1997