Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival is around the corner. Will you make mooncakes or some sweet pastries to celebrate? Homemade lotus seed paste might be a perfect option.
What is lotus seed paste
Lotus seed paste is commonly used in Chinese pastries, desserts, and mooncakes, along with red bean paste and black sesame paste. It is made from dried lotus seeds. The seeds are soaked, boiled until soft, then blended to make the paste with added sugar. It’s incredibly easy to make, especially if you have an Instant Pot. A food processor makes short work of creating the paste from there.
Why this recipe
I prefer my lotus seed paste homemade and I guarantee this one is on par with the quality at the best Chinese bakeries. It’s smooth and silky, and while it’s sweet, it’s not too sweet. It also has just a touch of a caramelized flavor and a gorgeous golden color. The thing that set this recipe apart is the sugar.
1 – This recipe uses cooked sugar
Many online recipes skip the step of cooking the sugar. Yes, skipping it does simplify the process, but I’ve found this step is essential to creating a richer taste and getting that beautiful golden hue. It might sound like a daunting task, but it’s incredibly easy if you follow the recipe. Without this step, your lotus seed paste will end up with a pale color that won’t look very appetizing in the mooncake.
2 – A bit of maltose make a difference
If you’ve ever tasted lotus seed pastry from a Chinese bakery, you may have found the texture of the filling to be very smooth and round. That’s the magic of maltose, a super thick syrup that is commonly used when making char siu pork. It also makes the lotus seed filling easy to shape and work with.
Cooking process
I know it sounds intimidating to make, but it only requires four ingredients. Follow the steps below and you’ll see how easy it is if you just follow the instructions.
1- Prepare the dried lotus seeds
PS. Be careful when you’re blending the hot lotus seed paste. Always open the lid on the top of your blender or food processor to let the steam out while blending.
2 – Cook the blended lotus seeds
NOTE: It’s very important to NOT stir the sugar while melting it to prevent crystallization.
Afterthought
It takes some time and effort to make lotus seed paste at home, but it’s definitely worth it. It does not contain additives or preservatives, has a fresher taste, and is less sweet (you can easily control the level of sweetness). Lotus seed paste can be made ahead of time. You can refrigerate or freeze it in small batches for later use, something I always do so that it’s a little easier each time to make my Chinese pastry treats. My homemade lotus seed paste can be used to make so many wonderful things like mooncakes, mochi cakes, and other sweet Chinese pastries. Want to learn more about Chinese Cooking? Sign up my newsletter to receive the 5-Day Chinese Cooking Crash Course and recipe update! If you give this recipe a try, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it (once you’ve tried it), and take a picture and tag it @omnivorescookbook on Instagram! I’d love to see what you come up with.
Other recipes for mooncakes and Chinese pastries
Homemade Red Bean PasteHomemade Golden Syrup (转化糖浆, Invert Sugar Syrup)How to make KansuiThe Ultimate Guide to Traditional Mooncake (传统广式月饼)
Lilja Walter is a part of the Omnivore’s Cookbook team and worked closely with Maggie to develop and test this recipe.
