Lotus Seed Paste

also called lotus paste · lian rong · lin yung · sweet lotus seed paste · mooncake filling

The table

2 cups(300 g)dried split lotus seedssoak 4 hr, pull the germssimmer 60 minblend smoothfry down with the sugar 30 mincool 1 hr
6 cups(1.4 L)water for the soak
8 cups(1.9 L)water for the simmer
1 1/4 cups(250 g)rock sugar
2 Tbs(40 g)maltose syrup
1/4 tspfine sea salt
1/3 cup(80 mL)peanut oil
Tap anything to cross it off.

What to lay out

Everything the recipe asks for, sitting under the step that eats it. Tick each one as you measure it.8 things to get out.

Pans and tools

1soak 4 hr, pull the germs

2simmer 60 min

goes in with what step 1 made

4fry down with the sugar 30 min

goes in with what step 3 made

Cooking it

Tap a step when it is done; the next one lights up.

The clock

Start to finish
at least 6 hr 30 mintwo waits that overlap count once
Needs you
30 minof the steps that give a time

One of the 5 steps never says how long it takes, so both numbers are floors. The recipe itself says 6 hr 15 min.

  1. soak 4 hr, pull the germs

    4 hrwalk awayfrom the start

  2. simmer 60 min

    1 hrwalk away4 hr in

  3. blend smooth

    not timed5 hr in

  4. fry down with the sugar 30 min

    30 minneeds you5 hr in

  5. cool 1 hr

    1 hrwalk away5 hr 30 min in

Drawn to scale, so a long wait really does take up the room it takes. The shortest stretches keep a sliver so they stay visible; their times are printed beside them.

You'll need wok

Goes with

See how it is written
>> title: Lotus Seed Paste
>> category: Custards & Puddings
>> tags: lotus, sweet, filling, mooncake, stovetop, make-ahead
>> counters: Bakery, Dim Sum Counter
>> aka: lotus paste, lian rong, lin yung, sweet lotus seed paste, mooncake filling
>> servings: 16
>> time: 6 hr 15 min
>> step.1: soak 4 hr, pull the germs
>> step.2: simmer 60 min
>> step.3: blend smooth
>> step.4: fry down with the sugar 30 min
>> step.5: cool 1 hr

Soak @dried split lotus seeds{2%cup}(300 g) in @water for the soak{6%cup}(1.4 L) ~soak{4%hr}, then open each seed and flick out the green germ down its middle. The germ is bitter, and one left in is tasted across the whole batch.

Drain @&(~1)seeds{}, cover them with @water for the simmer{8%cup}(1.9 L) and ~simmer{60%min} until a seed collapses under the back of a spoon with no resistance at all.

Blend @&(~1)soft seeds{} with a ladle of their own cooking water until there is no grain left in it. Anything you can feel on your tongue now will still be there in the finished paste.

Fry @&(~1)purée{} in a #wok{} with @rock sugar{1 1/4%cup}(250 g), @maltose syrup{2%Tbs}(40 g) and @fine sea salt{1/4%tsp}, working in @peanut oil{1/3%cup}(80 mL) a spoonful at a time and waiting for each to be taken up, ~fry{30%min} until the paste pulls away from the wok in one mass. This half hour is standing over the pan, not waiting.

Cool @&(~1)paste{} ~cool{1%hr}. It is ready when a spoonful rolls into a ball that holds its shape in your palm.