View source for Lotus seed paste

{{Short description|Chinese dessert ingredient}}
{{Chinese|pic=File:Mooncake with double yolk and lotus seed paste.jpg|[picsize=225px|piccap=[[Mooncake]] with [[salted duck egg]] yolks and lotus seed paste filling.|t=[[wiktionary:蓮|蓮]][[wiktionary:蓉|蓉]]|s=[[wiktionary:莲|莲]][[wiktionary:蓉|蓉]]|j=lin4 jung4| y=lìhn yùhng|ci={{IPAc-yue|l|in|4|-|j|ung|4}}|mi={{IPAc-cmn|l|ian|2|-|r|ong|2}}|l=lotus velvet|hide=no|order=st}}

'''Lotus seed paste''' is a Chinese dessert ingredient made from dried [[lotus seed]]s.  It is traditionally considered a luxurious ingredient.

==Production==
The process for making the paste is similar to that of smooth [[red bean paste]]. First, the dried seeds are stewed in water until soft prior to being mashed into a fine paste. The paste is then watered down to a thin [[slurry]] and passed through a sieve and into [[cheesecloth]], with which it is squeezed dry. This produces a fine crumbly paste, which is then mixed with sugar or other sweeteners and, often, oil to produce a smooth, sweet paste.{{Citation needed|date=August 2021}}

==Use==

===China===
The lotus paste used by most Chinese cooks requires further preparation by dry [[cooking]] the sweetened paste over heat with [[caramel]]ized sugar and vegetable oil. This produces a lotus paste that is tan in colour with a satiny sheen. It is also rich, sweet, silky with a slight fragrance of caramel. Some cooks choose to treat the dried lotus seeds with a [[lye]] solution before initially stewing them in order to shorten their cooking time.<ref>[http://china.tyfo.com/int/art/festival/middle-autumn/mid-cake.htm China tyfo] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070621211541/http://china.tyfo.com/int/art/festival/middle-autumn/mid-cake.htm |date=2007-06-21 }}</ref>

Lotus paste is used in Chinese cuisine as a filling for [[mooncake]], ''[[baozi]]'', and other sweet pastries. Another common use of lotus paste is as a filling for [[lotus seed bun]]s, a [[dim sum]] item.{{Citation needed|date=August 2021}}

Due to the high price of lotus seeds, commercially prepared lotus pastes may also contain [[common bean|white kidney]] bean paste as its filler. There are several variations, some of which are darker, close to black in color.  These usually have a deeper taste.{{citation needed|date=March 2014}}

==References==
{{reflist }}

==See also==
* [[Sweet bean paste]]

[[Category:Nelumbo]]
[[Category:Chinese desserts]]
[[Category:Food paste]]