Autumn is the perfect season for enjoying lotus root — crisp, fresh, and at its sweetest.
My husband absolutely loves Sweet Lotus Root with Sticky Rice, a classic Chinese dessert that’s soft, fragrant, and beautifully golden once braised in brown sugar syrup.
I don’t make it very often because it takes quite a bit of time and patience to prepare — from soaking the glutinous rice, stuffing each lotus root hole, sealing it carefully, and slowly simmering it until tender.
But believe me, every minute is worth it.
This dish isn’t just delicious — it’s full of tradition and meaning. You’ll often find glutinous rice lotus root served at Chinese celebratory banquets, especially at weddings and festive gatherings. The combination of lotus root (藕, ǒu) and sticky rice (糯米, nuòmǐ) symbolizes unity, happiness, and sweetness that lasts — perfect for marking joyful occasions.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- A Heartwarming Classic: This is more than just a dessert; it’s a taste of Chinese tradition and celebration, perfect for special occasions or a comforting autumn treat.
- Heavenly Textures & Flavours: Experience the incredible combination of soft, yielding lotus root and chewy, sweet glutinous rice, all coated in a fragrant, amber-hued syrup.
- Impressively Beautiful: When sliced, the intricate pattern of the lotus root filled with white rice is stunning, making it a show-stopping dessert for guests.
- Make-Ahead Friendly: It actually tastes better the next day after the flavours have melded, making it a stress-free option for entertaining.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Lotus Root – Choose sections with the nodes intact, as this naturally prevents mud from getting inside the holes. Avoid crisp, salad-style lotus root, as we need a variety that becomes tender and soft after long stewing.
- Glutinous Rice – Also called “sweet rice,” this is essential for the characteristic chewy texture. I highly recommend using short-grain glutinous rice for its superior stickiness, which helps it stay in the holes.
- Brown Sugar – This gives the syrup its deep, molasses-like flavour and beautiful dark amber colour. It creates a richer, more robust sweetness.
- Rock Sugar – I like using rock sugar because it provides a cleaner, brighter sweetness that balances the heaviness of the brown sugar. You can adjust the ratio to your taste.
- Red Dates (Jujubes) – These add a subtle, fruity sweetness to the cooking syrup and make the dessert more nourishing. They become soft and delicious after stewing.
- Dried Osmanthus Flowers – This is the signature finishing touch. If unavailable, you can use osmanthus honey as a substitute, but remember to reduce the amount of other sugars to account for its sweetness.
How to Make Sweet Sticky Rice Lotus Root
- Prepare the Ingredients
Soak the Rice: Begin by rinsing the 150g of glutinous rice, then cover it with plenty of cold water. Let it soak for at least 3 hours, or until the grains are plump and can be easily crushed between your fingers. After soaking, drain thoroughly.
Prepare the Lotus Root: Wash and peel the lotus root. Check the holes for any residual mud; a thin stream of water or a cotton swab works well for cleaning. Using a sharp knife, carefully cut a 1-2 cm thick “cap” off one end of each lotus root section. Save these caps.
- Stuff and Seal
Fill the Holes: Take the drained glutinous rice and begin stuffing it into the holes of the lotus root. Use a chopstick or bamboo skewer to gently push the rice down, ensuring every hole is tightly packed from bottom to top. Fill to the top, but do not overstuff.
Secure the Caps: Place the reserved caps back onto the filled lotus root. Use 4-6 toothpicks for each, inserting them firmly around the edge to create a secure seal that will prevent the rice from escaping during cooking.
- Stew to Sweetness
Cook in Pot: Place the stuffed lotus root and red dates into a pot that comfortably holds them (a pressure cooker or Dutch oven works well). Add enough cold water to completely submerge the lotus root.
Add Sugar: Add the brown sugar and rock sugar to the water. Give it a gentle stir.
Slow Cook:
Pressure Cooker Method: Cook on high pressure for 40-50 minutes.
Regular Pot Method: Bring to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer. Cover and cook for 1.5 – 2 hours, until the lotus root is very tender. Check occasionally to ensure the water level doesn’t drop too low.
Rest: Once cooked, let the pressure release naturally if using a pressure cooker.
- Glaze and Serve
Reduce the Syrup: Transfer the cooked lotus root into a frying pan, then pour the remaining syrup from the pot into the pan as well. Bring the remaining cooking liquid to a boil over medium-high heat. Let it simmer until it reduces by about one-third and thickens into a glossy syrup that coats the back of a spoon.
Slice: Once the lotus root is cool enough to handle (cooling completely is even better for clean slices), remove the toothpicks and caps. Use a sharp knife to slice it into 1 cm thick rounds.
Assemble: Arrange the slices on a serving plate. Spoon the warm, reduced syrup generously over them. Finish with a delicate sprinkle of dried osmanthus flowers.
Sweet Lotus Root with Sticky Rice – A Classic Chinese Dessert You’ll Love
Ingredients
- 2 sections lotus root with nodes intact
- 150 g short-grain glutinous rice
- Brown sugar to taste (approx. 1-2 tablespoons)
- Rock sugar to taste (a small handful)
- A few red dates jujubes
- Water enough to fully submerge the lotus root
- Dried osmanthus flowers for garnish
Instructions
Prepare the Ingredients
- Soak the Rice: Begin by rinsing the 150g of glutinous rice, then cover it with plenty of cold water. Let it soak for at least 3 hours, or until the grains are plump and can be easily crushed between your fingers. After soaking, drain thoroughly.
- Prepare the Lotus Root: Wash and peel the lotus root. Check the holes for any residual mud; a thin stream of water or a cotton swab works well for cleaning. Using a sharp knife, carefully cut a 1-2 cm thick "cap" off one end of each lotus root section. Save these caps.
Stuff and Seal
- Fill the Holes: Take the drained glutinous rice and begin stuffing it into the holes of the lotus root. Use a chopstick or bamboo skewer to gently push the rice down, ensuring every hole is tightly packed from bottom to top. Fill to the top, but do not overstuff.
- Secure the Caps: Place the reserved caps back onto the filled lotus root. Use 4-6 toothpicks for each, inserting them firmly around the edge to create a secure seal that will prevent the rice from escaping during cooking.
Stew to Sweetness
- Cook in Pot: Place the stuffed lotus root and red dates into a pot that comfortably holds them (a pressure cooker or Dutch oven works well). Add enough cold water to completely submerge the lotus root.
- Add Sugar: Add the brown sugar and rock sugar to the water. Give it a gentle stir.
Slow Cook:
- Pressure Cooker Method: Cook on high pressure for 40-50 minutes.
- Regular Pot Method: Bring to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer. Cover and cook for 1.5 - 2 hours, until the lotus root is very tender. Check occasionally to ensure the water level doesn't drop too low.
- Rest: Once cooked, let the pressure release naturally if using a pressure cooker.
Glaze and Serve
- Reduce the Syrup: Transfer the cooked lotus root into a frying pan, then pour the remaining syrup from the pot into the pan as well. Bring the remaining cooking liquid to a boil over medium-high heat. Let it simmer until it reduces by about one-third and thickens into a glossy syrup that coats the back of a spoon.
- Slice: Once the lotus root is cool enough to handle (cooling completely is even better for clean slices), remove the toothpicks and caps. Use a sharp knife to slice it into 1 cm thick rounds.
- Assemble: Arrange the slices on a serving plate. Spoon the warm, reduced syrup generously over them. Finish with a delicate sprinkle of dried osmanthus flowers.
Nutrition
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