Eight treasure rice pudding is a traditional Chinese dessert that is often served on Chinese New Year. Made with sweet glutinous rice and red bean paste, covered with a variety of candied and other fruits in a beautiful pattern this dish is perfect for a party. Try this eight treasure rice pudding recipe and let me know what you think in the Chinese food forum. Enjoy!

2 cups glutinous rice (sweet rice)
3½ tbsp sugar
3 tbsp butter
½ tsp salt
30 maraschino cherries
1 to 2 small packs brown raisins
1 small pack golden raisins
1 to 2 cups candied lotus seeds
¾ cup osmanthus syrup

1. Rinse the rice under cold running water until it runs clear. Then let it soak in a pot of cold water for ½ hour.


2. Then drain it, add 2 cups of cold water and heat it on high. Let the rice come to a boil.


3. Once it boils turn the heat down to low, cover and let it cook until the water is completely absorbed, about 15 minutes. Then turn off the heat and let it sit for another 10 minutes.


4. After 10 minutes, mix the sugar, just 2 tablespoons of the butter and salt thoroughly into the rice.


5. Cut the maraschino cherries in half.


6. Then using the remaining tbsp of butter grease the entire inside of a medium sized heatproof bowl. Make sure that this bowl fits comfortably inside of your steamer basket. You may also use less or more of the butter to grease this bowl.


7. Then in the center of the bottom of the bowl place 3 of the cherry halves to form a little star. Then place a ring of the candied lotus seeds around the cherries.


8. Then around the lotus seeds place a ring of brown raisins.


9. Then make another ring of cherries.


10. Next carefully place a layer ring of golden raisins on top of the cherries. The rings of fruit should now be coming up the sides of your bowl where it is difficult to make another ring of fruit.


11. Now carefully place about one third of the rice on top of the placed fruit keeping this fruit ring pattern in the bottom of the bowl. This pattern will be the decorative top of the pudding in the final dish. Place the rice just up to the top of the raisins.


12. Once the rice is on top of the fruits, carefully add a layer of the red bean paste leaving about ½ inch space around the edge between the rice and the sides of the bowl.


13. Then add another third of the rice on top of the bean paste, again leaving about ½ inch space around the edge between the rice and the sides of the bowl.


14. Then in the space in the sides of the bowl, add a ring of the brown raisins and then a ring of cherries and if you have room add another ring of the candied lotus seeds.


15. Place the remaining rice on top and press it down firmly with your hand.


16. Then cover the bowl with foil, place it in a steamer and steam it for 45 minutes.


17. Then remove the bowl from the steamer and let it cool to the touch.


18. Next place a plate on top of the bowl and carefully turn it over so that it comes out neatly onto the plate.


19. Then lightly drizzle on the syrup and serve.