Chinese 8 Treasure Rice Pudding

Ingredients

• 2 cups uncooked glutinous rice (also known as sticky rice or sweet rice)
• 1/2 cup hot water
• 2 tbsps sugar
• 4 tsps vegetable shortening
• 1 cup dried fruits of your choice (raisins, golden raisins, papaya, apricots, pineapple, cranberries, mangoes, peaches), seven in total
• candied or maraschino cherries (red, you can also add green ones, but definitely get red)
• 1 cup sweet red bean/azuki paste (or more as needed)
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tsps cornstarch dissolved in 1 1/2 tbsps water