Fujian Ba Bao Fan

Eight Treasure Rice is one of the grand desserts of Fujianese and broader southern Chinese festive cooking, appearing at Lunar New Year feasts, wedding banquets, and landmark birthdays. "Eight treasures" refers to the eight colourful dried fruits, nuts, and preserved sweets pressed into the sticky rice exterior — each choice symbolic: lotus seeds for fertility, red dates for good luck, longan for reunion. The dome is steamed, inverted, and doused with a glossy osmanthus or sweet syrup at the table.

Serves: 8

Ingredients

Rice

• 400g (2 cups) glutinous (sticky) rice, soaked overnight and drained
• 2 tbsp (30g) sugar
• 2 tbsp (30ml) neutral oil or lard

Eight treasures (arrange decoratively)

• 8 pitted dried red dates (jujubes), halved
• 60g (¼ cup) lotus seeds, soaked 2 hours and simmered 20 minutes until tender
• 30g (2 tbsp) dried longan flesh (or raisins)
• 30g (2 tbsp) candied winter melon or green cherries, diced
• 30g (2 tbsp) candied orange peel, diced
• 30g (2 tbsp) pumpkin seeds or pine nuts
• 30g (2 tbsp) wolfberries (goji berries)
• 30g (2 tbsp) raw cashews or walnuts

Sweet red bean paste filling

• 250g (9 oz) smooth sweetened red bean paste (store-bought is fine)

Osmanthus syrup

• 150ml (⅔ cup) water
• 60g (5 tbsp) rock sugar
• 2 tsp dried osmanthus flowers (or 1 tsp vanilla)
• 1 tsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tsp cold water

Instructions

1. Steam the soaked glutinous rice in a bamboo steamer lined with damp cloth for 25–30 minutes until cooked through. Tip into a bowl and immediately stir in sugar and oil. Cool slightly.
2. Generously grease a 1-litre (4-cup) heatproof bowl. Arrange the eight treasures decoratively on the base and up the sides — red dates, lotus seeds, and the colourful pieces make the best pattern.
3. Press a layer of sticky rice (about half) firmly over the decorations to a depth of 1.5cm (½ inch), leaving a hollow in the centre.
4. Fill the hollow with red bean paste, then pack the remaining sticky rice on top to seal, pressing firmly and levelling the surface.
5. Set the bowl in a steamer and steam 25–30 minutes over high heat until heated through and set.
6. Meanwhile, bring water and rock sugar to a simmer. Add osmanthus flowers and cook 2 minutes. Stir in cornstarch slurry and simmer until slightly thickened and glossy.
7. Invert the bowl onto a serving plate and lift away to reveal the jewelled dome. Pour the warm osmanthus syrup over immediately and serve at the table.

Cook's Notes: The dish can be fully assembled a day ahead and refrigerated — simply steam for 35–40 minutes straight from cold. The eight treasures are flexible; use whatever dried fruits and nuts are available, with the only requirement being visual variety and colour.