FOOCHOW EIGHT JEWEL RICE

Eight Jewel Rice

八宝飯

when spoken in Foochow dialect is

either

"Bei Koh Bhon' 八菓飯 meaning 8 fruits rice 
or
"Bei Po Bhon" 八宝飯 meaning 8 treasure rice

is a popular dish during Festive Seasons and Celebrations Dinners

Basically this is just

a bowl of glutinous rice topped with some dried fruits!

Any choice of 4 to 5 types or even more
from the following list will do:

soft boiled lotus seeds, cooked gingko nuts, roasted groundnuts,

dried longan, dried golden lime, red dates,

barley pearls, melon seeds, raisins,
sweet winter melon strips,

 green & red cherries (for colour) 

& shredded red plum strips ( for mild sour taste)  ...........

To break the monotony of the thick layer of rice,

and to add some colour,

a layer of mashed yam (oor nay) or golden sweet potato may be added 
as an in between layer within the rice portion

Foochow Eight Jewel Rice

Ingredients:

1) 2 cups glutinous rice, rinsed, 

                and soaked for at least 4 hours or overnight

2) 150g yam, a) sliced & steamed until cooked

                   b) while still hot, add 35g sugar & 7g cooking oil and mash until smooth
                   c) add some boiled water if necessary
                   

3) choice of at least 4 types from the list

    - dried fruits, chopped or cut

    - leave the soft boil nuts whole

    - groundnuts or walnuts, roasted & ground, to be added upon serving
             

Method:

1) steam glutinous rice, use enough water to cover the top of rice, for 35min, until cooked

2) stir in 8g cooking oil & 90g sugar (to taste), mix well and leave to cool
3) sprinkle some water on chosen dried fruits & steam for 5min to soften

4) spread the steamed dried fruits onto the base of a medium size bowl or 5 small ones

5) add a layer of rice, alternate with mashed yam

6) topped with another layer of rice, press in and level
7) sprinkle some water on the rice and steam on high heat for 10-20 min 

8) to serve, overturn the bowl onto a serving plate

9) topped with some chopped groundnuts & serve immediately

   

The softened dried fruits are arranged at the bottom of a metal bowl
before adding the steamed rice

Once over turned on a serving plate
the fruits are on top




If you prefer
all dried fruits can be mixed together 
before putting at the base