Eight treasure rice

Eight treasure rice, known in Mandarin as ba bao fan, is a Chinese festive dessert made from sweet glutinous rice. The rice is steamed in a bowl or mold that has first been lined with an auspicious assortment of toppings, traditionally called the eight treasures, which may include red dates, lotus seeds, candied fruit, raisins, melon seeds and sweet red bean paste. Once steamed, the dessert is turned out onto a plate as a glossy dome with a colorful pattern of fruit on top, and it is often finished with a sweet syrup and served warm. It is a banquet sweet and a Lunar New Year and wedding table dish across many parts of China, with Jiangnan restaurant versions especially well known. The number eight signals abundance rather than a fixed count, so the exact toppings vary from cook to cook. It should not be confused with eight treasure porridge, a boiled mixed-grain dish.