Red tortoise cake

Red tortoise cake is a type of dessert that is very popular in many Asian countries, especially China and Taiwan. It is made from a dough that is usually made with glutinous rice flour, which means that it is very sticky and has a chewy texture. The dough for the cake is typically dyed red using natural food coloring, and it is shaped into small round discs that are about the size of a small pancake.

The filling of the red tortoise cake is often made with sweet ingredients like sweetened lotus seed paste or sweetened red bean paste. These fillings are placed in the center of the dough disc and then the dough is carefully molded around the filling to create a round shape. The finished cakes are then steamed until they are cooked through.

The reason this dessert is called "tortoise cake" is because of its shape, which is supposed to resemble the shell of a tortoise. In traditional Chinese mythology, the tortoise is a symbol of longevity and good luck, so the red tortoise cake is often served at special occasions like weddings and birthdays as a way to wish someone a long and fortunate life.

So, in short, red tortoise cake is a sweet and chewy dessert made from red sticky dough that is stuffed with sweet filling, shaped like a tortoise shell, steamed and served at special occasions to bring good luck and longevity.