← Nouns Cooking · Chinese

Ingredients

• 200 g Glutinous rice flour
• 60 g Sugar
• 150 ml just-boiled water
• 180 g sweet red bean paste
• 60 g raw white sesame seeds
• 1.5 l vegetable oil, for deep frying

Method

1. Dissolve the sugar in the hot water. Stir it into the rice flour, then knead to a smooth, soft dough like play dough, adding a teaspoon more water if it cracks. Cover and rest for 10 min.
2. Roll the bean paste into 12 small balls and chill them while the dough rests.
3. Divide the dough into 12 pieces. Flatten one into a cup, set a bean ball in the middle and pinch the dough closed around it, then roll until smooth. Repeat.
4. Dip each ball quickly in water, then roll it in the sesame seeds, pressing gently so they stick all over.
5. Heat the oil to 150°C (300°F). Fry the balls in batches for 8–10 min, turning often. Once they float, press them gently against the side of the pan with a ladle now and then, which helps them puff up.
6. Raise the heat to 170°C (340°F) for the last 1–2 min, until deep golden. Drain on kitchen paper and eat warm.

Tips

• Contains sesame. Keep the oil fairly low at first: too hot and the balls brown before they can expand.
• Check the label: some red bean pastes contain lard, which makes them not vegetarian.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

Omnivore's Cookbook Sift & Simmer Tiffy Cooks