Sweet lotus root with sticky rice (糯米藕)

Method11 steps

1. 1

   Step 1: Soak the 70 g glutinous rice in clean cold water in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. If your lotus-root cavities are particularly large, soak a little extra rice at the same time. Check that a few grains break easily when squeezed between your fingers, then drain well and discard the soaking water.

   Check soaked glutinous rice · 120 minUses 70 g glutinous rice · A little extra glutinous rice only for larger root cavities · Clean cold water as needed to soak the rice

   
2. 2

   Step 2: Peel both lotus-root sections (2 large). From one end of each, cut off a 1–2 cm piece to expose the holes. Keep these two cut-off pieces beside their roots to use as lids.

   Uses 2 large sections lotus root

   
3. 3

   Step 3: Fill the holes of both prepared lotus-root sections from step 2 with the drained soaked rice from step 1, pushing it down with a chopstick so the holes are tightly packed. Keep the matching lids aside. Refrigerate any unused soaked rice promptly.

   Uses Both peeled root bodies, with their lids reserved · Soaked rice as needed to tightly fill the root cavities

   
4. 4

   Step 4: Put each matching lid from step 2 back on its filled root from step 3. Secure it gently with three or four toothpicks, taking care not to break the lotus-root flesh.

   Uses Filled roots, separated from any unused rice · Both cut-off lids reserved in step 2

   
5. 5

   Step 5: Put both secured stuffed roots from step 4 in a small saucepan just large enough to hold them. Add all 80 g dark brown sugar and the ten dried Chinese dates if using. Add enough cooking water to cover the roots completely.

   Uses secured stuffed lotus roots · 80 g dark brown sugar · 10 dried Chinese dates (optional) · Water as needed to cover both roots

   
6. 6

   Step 6: Bring the stuffed-root pan from step 5 to a full boil, then reduce the heat to low. Simmer gently for the first hour, keeping the roots covered with liquid.

   Turn the lotus roots halfway · 60 minUses stuffed roots, sugar, optional dates and covering water

7. 7

   Step 7: Turn the roots from step 6. Add hot water if necessary to keep them covered, then continue the low simmer for about another hour. At about two hours of simmering in total, check that the roots are very soft to bite and the rice inside is fully cooked; continue gently if needed.

   Check tender roots and cooked rice · 60 minUses stuffed roots and sweet cooking liquid after the first hour · Hot water for topping up, only if needed

8. 8

   Step 8: Let the cooked roots from step 7 cool briefly in their sweet liquid until comfortable to handle, then proceed to slicing. If saving them for later, transfer the roots and enough liquid to shallow containers and refrigerate promptly within 2 hours of cooking; continue cooling in the refrigerator.

   Uses cooked stuffed roots and sweet liquid

   
9. 9

   Step 9: Lift the cooled roots from step 8 onto a chopping board, reserving the sweet liquid. Remove every toothpick. Cut the roots crosswise into slices 0.5–1 cm thick and arrange them on a serving plate.

   Uses Both roots lifted from the reserved sweet liquid

10. 10

    Step 10: Take about 100 ml of the sweet cooking liquid reserved in step 8 and boil it until it thickens into a syrup. Pour this reduced syrup over the lotus-root slices from step 9.

    Uses About 100 ml of the reserved cooking liquid · All sliced roots, separated from the reserved cooking liquid

11. 11

    Step 11: Drizzle honey over the syrup-coated lotus-root slices from step 10 to taste, then serve as a sweet appetizer or snack.

    Uses lotus-root slices with reduced syrup · Honey for finishing, as desired