Precious Pudding
1½ cups rice
½ cup barley
⅛ cup candied lotus seeds
⅛ cup almonds
⅛ cup seedless raisins
⅛ cup fresh peanuts
⅛ cup large candied cherries
8 strips of citron sliced very thin
1½ cups sugar
Cook rice and barley together in about one quart of water.
Take a very large deep bowl or mold that has plenty of surface; arrange the eight precious fruits and nuts in some kind of pretty design at the bottom of the bowl. Now pour the rice and barley, which have been drained, into the bowl, and steam for at least an hour, until well cooked.
Turn out with design on top and serve with sauce.
Sauce
1½ cups sugar
½ cup water, seasoned with lemon
Cook sugar and water until a thread spins and add lemon juice to taste.