Sesame Balls

Sesame Balls

　　　　Made with glutinous rice flour dough wrapped around a sweet filling, coated in white sesame seeds, and deep-fried until brownish-red. The specialty lies in their crispy exterior and soft, chewy interior, round in shape with a hollow center, sweet in flavor

A must-try local snack when traveling in Sichuan—Chongqing Sesame Balls. They are large, have a crispy crust, a slightly yellow hue, and a layer of sesame seeds tightly embedded on the surface. The taste is sweet and tender, sticky yet not gummy. Through research and practice,

　　the secrets and method of making them are as follows: Dough: 250g yuanxiao (sweet rice) flour, 50g each of starch, sugar, sesame seeds, and 25g cooking oil, 5g baking powder. Filling: Red bean paste, strawberry paste, or black sesame with sugar paste can all be used.

　　Method: 1. Except for the sesame seeds, place all the dough ingredients in a bowl (the yuanxiao flour is mixed with starch, sugar, oil, and baking powder to make the dough sweet, soft, and moderately sticky). Add water to form a slightly firm dough, let it rest for 15 minutes, then divide into about 30 pieces. Wrap each piece around the filling, seal the edges, and shape into yuanxiao (dumpling balls) for later use.

　　2. Remove impurities from the sesame seeds, place them in a bowl, soak in boiling water for 10 minutes, drain the water, then roll each yuanxiao in the sesame seeds, shaping them by hand one by one (the sesame seeds soaked in boiling water won’t fall off easily).

　　3. Clean the pan thoroughly, heat it first, then add oil, and fry over low heat. The oil should not be boiling vigorously (as high heat will cause the yuanxiao to become tough). Let them gradually expand and float up. Elderly friends, you might want to give this a try during the Lantern Festival.