Lotus Root Stuffed with Glutinous Rice and Osmanthus (桂花糯米藕, guìhuā nuòmǐ ǒu)
Sections of lotus root whose cavities are stuffed with glutinous rice, long-simmered in brown sugar syrup until brown, tender and translucent, then drizzled with osmanthus flower syrup. Served cold, in thin slices that reveal the wheel-like pattern of the lotus.
Sections of lotus root whose cavities are stuffed with glutinous rice, long-simmered in brown sugar syrup until brown, tender and translucent, then drizzled with osmanthus flower syrup. Served cold, in thin slices that reveal the wheel-like pattern of the lotus.
At home in Jiangnan, we like subtle sweets, never too sugary all at once. We stuff the holes of the lotus root with glutinous rice grain by grain — it's patient work, but then it simmers for hours on its own. When it's cold, we cut thin slices: you see the lotus wheel drawn inside, and the osmanthus smells like an autumn garden. I keep it in the fridge and take a slice when I review a game — a little sweetness between two variations.
- •Lotus root — one firm section (casing to be stuffed)
- •Glutinous rice — one bowl (stuffing)
- •Brown sugar (cane) — a generous amount (syrup, amber color)
- •Osmanthus flower (dried or in syrup) — a pinch (signature Jiangnan aroma)
- •Red dates (jujubes) — a few (additional sweetness)
Lotus Root Stuffed with Glutinous Rice and Osmanthus (桂花糯米藕, guìhuā nuòmǐ ǒu)
Sections of lotus root whose cavities are stuffed with glutinous rice, long-simmered in brown sugar syrup until brown, tender and translucent, then drizzled with osmanthus flower syrup. Served cold, in thin slices that reveal the wheel-like pattern of the lotus.
Why this dish? This sweet from the Jiangnan region (the lower Yangtze, which includes Hou Yifan's Jiangsu) is prepared in advance, keeps for several days in the fridge, and is sliced as desired. Served cold between meals, it's the small sweet, fragrant pleasure that punctuates long study days — on the chessboard as on the benches of Peking University.
At home in Jiangnan, we like subtle sweets, never too sugary all at once. We stuff the holes of the lotus root with glutinous rice grain by grain — it's patient work, but then it simmers for hours on its own. When it's cold, we cut thin slices: you see the lotus wheel drawn inside, and the osmanthus smells like an autumn garden. I keep it in the fridge and take a slice when I review a game — a little sweetness between two variations.
Ingredients (period version)
- Lotus root — one firm section (casing to be stuffed)
- Glutinous rice — one bowl (stuffing)
- Brown sugar (cane) — a generous amount (syrup, amber color)
- Osmanthus flower (dried or in syrup) — a pinch (signature Jiangnan aroma)
- Red dates (jujubes) — a few (additional sweetness)
Ingredients
- Lotus root — 1 large (≈ 25 cm) (casing)
- Glutinous rice — 150 g, soaked 2 h (stuffing)
- Brown sugar or dark muscovado — 120 g (syrup)
- Rock sugar (optional) — 50 g (syrup sheen)
- Candied osmanthus / osmanthus syrup (桂花糖) — 2 tbsp (final aroma)
- Jujubes (red dates) — 5 (sweetness)
- Toothpicks — a few (to seal the sections)
Method
- Soak glutinous rice for 2 h, drain.
- Peel the lotus root, cut a "lid" from one end (keep it).
- Pack the glutinous rice into the cavities using a chopstick, filling them completely.
- Close with the lid and secure with toothpicks.
- Place in a pot with brown sugar, jujubes, and water to cover. Cook covered over very low heat for 1.5 to 2 h, turning occasionally, until the root is brown and tender and the syrup thick.
- Let cool in the syrup, then refrigerate. Slice cold, drizzle with reduced syrup and osmanthus before serving.
How it was made : Stuffed lotus root is a classic sweet of Jiangnan, especially Huaiyang cuisine. Osmanthus flowers, harvested in autumn and preserved in syrup or candied with sugar, are the emblematic fragrance of this region — paired with lotus, sweet soups, and rice cakes.
The contemporary twist : Presented in thin aligned slices, their holes draw a row of little wheels — like sweet pawns ready to advance.
Hou Yifan · Charactorium
