Red bean puddings (Put chai go)

These delicious pudding are made with rice flour, red beans and brown sugar syrup. So beloved is this pudding in Hong Kong, some of the traditional stores will mill rice every day to get fresh rice 'milk' to make it!

Put chai go (Red bean pudding in little bowls) Credit: Alana Dimou

• serves

  4

• prep

  15 minutes

• cook

  1:40 hour

• difficulty

  Mid

Ingredients

• 100 g good-quality dried red (adzuki) beans, rinsed (see Note)
• 3 tbsp caster sugar
• 80 g rice flour
• 2 tbsp wheat starch
• 1 tbsp cornflour
• 100 g Chinese brown sugar or soft brown sugar

Soaking time: 30 minutes

Resting time: 2 hours

Instructions

1. Soak the beans in a bowl of water for 30 minutes. Drain and place in a small saucepan. Add 500 ml (2 cups) water and bring to the boil over high heat, then reduce the heat and simmer for 45 minutes, skimming off any impurities on the surface.
2. Reduce the heat to low, add the sugar and cook, stirring regularly, for another 30 minutes or until the beans are cooked but still retain their shape. Remove from the heat, cover with a lid and set aside for 2 hours or until cooled completely.
3. Meanwhile, combine the rice flour, wheat starch and cornflour in a medium bowl, add 250 ml (1 cup) water and stir until smooth.
4. Pour 250 ml (1 cup) water into a small saucepan and bring to the boil. Add the brown sugar and stir until dissolved.
5. Pour the hot sugar syrup into the flour mixture and mix until smooth and well combined.
6. Grease four individual heatproof bowls or ramekins. Put 1 teaspoon of the red beans into each bowl (or a bit more if you like).
7. Give the sugar and flour mixture a really good stir (otherwise the flour tends to settle at the bottom), then pour into the bowls until they are about four-fifths full. Finish with another teaspoon of the beans.
8. Pour water into a large saucepan to a depth of about 3 cm and bring to the boil. Arrange the bowls or ramekins on a steamer tray or plate, then cover and steam for 20 minutes.
9. Remove and rest for 5 minutes, then serve hot. If you like, you can turn the puddings out of the bowls and serve on skewers like a streetside snack.

Note

• If you have any beans left over from the red bean crushed ice drink, use them here to save time.

Hong Kong Local by ArChan Chan, published by Smith Street Books (RRP $39.99). Photography by Alana Dimou.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.