Easy Homemade White Lotus Seed Paste (For Mooncakes)
Course: Condiment, Sweets
Cuisine: Chinese
Prep Time: 15 minutesminutes
Cook Time: 45 minutesminutes
Total Time: 1 hourhour
Servings: 1kg
Author: Marvellina
Homemade lotus seed paste is much wholesome, healthier, and less sweet compared to commercially prepared lotus seed paste that is cloyingly sweet. The lotus paste is suitable as filling for mooncakes or other pastries.
Soak the lotus seeds in water for at least 4 hours or overnight. Once they are soft, split open and remove the greenish core. Those cores are bitter. Proceed to cook either with a pressure cooker or boiling on the stove
Cook the lotus seeds using Instant Pot pressure cooker:
Put the soaked lotus seeds in the inner pot of Instant Pot. Pour in water, to cover about 1 inch above the seeds. Close the lid and turn the steam release valve to sealing. Set the time to 15 minutes and to make sure it's on "high pressure". Do natural release and save some of the cooking liquid, maybe about 1 cup, to help you blend later. Drain off the rest of the liquid
Cook the lotus seeds on the stove:
Put the soaked lotus seeds in a large pot and cover with water, about 1-inch above the seeds. Bring to a boil and then lower the heat to let it simmer. Partially cover the pot to prevent it from boiling over. Cook until the seeds are soft, about 1 hour or so. Save about 1 cup of the cooking liquid to help with blending later
Blend the seeds:
Put the cooked lotus seeds in a blender. Blend until it is of a muddy paste consistency. You may add some of the cooking liquid, tablespoon by tablespoon to help you blend
Cooking:
Place the pureed seeds on a skillet. Add sugar and cook until the sugar melts. This will make the mixture a bit watery, don't worry. Add 1/3 of the oil and keep stirring until the oil is absorbed before adding the next 1/3. Continue to do this until you use up all the oil
The mixture will start to look shiny and no longer sticky. When you get to this point, add the maltose and stir until it is all combined. The end result will be a shiny and smooth paste
Cool down:
Spread the paste on a plate to let it cools down completely. Cover and keep them in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. You can freeze them in the freezer for up to 3 months and bring them to room temperature before using