Guìhuā táng ǒu — lotus root stuffed with glutinous rice in osmanthus syrup
Sections of lotus root with cavities stuffed with glutinous rice, long-braised in an amber syrup of rock sugar and scented with osmanthus, then sliced cold into pretty openwork discs. Sweet, fragrant, almost candied.
Sections of lotus root with cavities stuffed with glutinous rice, long-braised in an amber syrup of rock sugar and scented with osmanthus, then sliced cold into pretty openwork discs. Sweet, fragrant, almost candied.
The lotus, you see, is already beautiful when cut: those little regular holes like lace, which you patiently stuff with glutinous rice grain by grain. You simmer it for hours in a dark syrup until it becomes almost amber, then let it cool and slice it thin. It is a sweet that keeps, that you offer to a visitor in the afternoon with tea. At home, they said a girl who knew how to stuff lotus without losing a grain knew how to run a household.
- •Fresh lotus root — one or two sections (openwork casing)
- •Glutinous rice — enough to fill cavities (stuffing)
- •Rock sugar and brown sugar — generously (amber syrup)
- •Osmanthus flowers — a pinch (fragrance)
- •Red dates (jujubes) — a few (sweetness, color)
Guìhuā táng ǒu — lotus root stuffed with glutinous rice in osmanthus syrup
Sections of lotus root with cavities stuffed with glutinous rice, long-braised in an amber syrup of rock sugar and scented with osmanthus, then sliced cold into pretty openwork discs. Sweet, fragrant, almost candied.
Why this dish? A classic sweet of Jiangnan, the Shanghai region, this stuffed lotus root is made ahead and keeps for several days—typical of the refined home cooking that the young Eileen Chang encountered in the family residence, between scholarly tradition and urban taste.
The lotus, you see, is already beautiful when cut: those little regular holes like lace, which you patiently stuff with glutinous rice grain by grain. You simmer it for hours in a dark syrup until it becomes almost amber, then let it cool and slice it thin. It is a sweet that keeps, that you offer to a visitor in the afternoon with tea. At home, they said a girl who knew how to stuff lotus without losing a grain knew how to run a household.
Ingredients (period version)
- Fresh lotus root — one or two sections (openwork casing)
- Glutinous rice — enough to fill cavities (stuffing)
- Rock sugar and brown sugar — generously (amber syrup)
- Osmanthus flowers — a pinch (fragrance)
- Red dates (jujubes) — a few (sweetness, color)
Ingredients
- Fresh lotus root — 2 sections (~600 g) (base)
- Glutinous rice — 120 g, soaked 2 h (stuffing)
- Rock sugar — 80 g (syrup)
- Brown sugar — 40 g (amber color)
- Dried jujubes (Chinese dates) — 6 (sweetness)
- Osmanthus syrup (guihua) — 2 tbsp (final fragrance)
- Water — to cover (braising liquid)
Method
- Slice off a cap from each end of the lotus root; rinse cavities. Stuff soaked glutinous rice into each hole using a chopstick.
- Replace caps and secure with toothpicks.
- Place in a pot with rock sugar, brown sugar, jujubes, and water to cover; cover with lid.
- Braise over low heat for 1.5 to 2 hours, turning occasionally, until lotus root is tender and syrup is amber.
- Uncover, reduce syrup to a coating glaze.
- Let cool, slice into thin discs, drizzle with syrup and scent with osmanthus before serving cold or warm.
How it was made : A specialty of Jiangnan (Nanjing–Hangzhou–Shanghai region), stuffed lotus root is prepared in autumn when roots are harvested. Slowly cooked and sweetened, it kept for several days in its syrup—a reserve sweet offered to visitors.
The contemporary twist : Arrange the discs in a fan on the plate, drizzle with reduced osmanthus syrup, and add a spoonful of plain yogurt to contrast the sweetness—a "lotus lace" dessert for today's table.
Sources : Fuchsia Dunlop, Land of Fish and Rice (2016) · Mark Swislocki, Culinary Nostalgia: Regional Food Culture and the Urban Experience in Shanghai (2009)
Eileen Chang · Charactorium