Small Glutinous Rice Balls of the Mountain City

Small Glutinous Rice Balls of the Mountain City

　　Small Glutinous Rice Balls of the Mountain City are famous for their delicate size, thin wrappers, generous fillings, and sweet, smooth, and chewy texture.

　　Preparation:

　　1. First, select plump glutinous rice grains, remove impurities and rinse off any sand. Soak them in clean water for 3–7 days until they swell. Then stir in more water and grind the soaked rice into a slurry using a stone mill. Next, suspend the slurry in a white cloth bag to drain the liquid, then set aside for later use.

　　2. Select tender pork fat. Cut it into small pieces. Take black sesame seeds that have been cleaned and rinsed, toast them until fragrant, then remove the outer skins. Grind the sesame kernels into powder and set aside.

　　3. Soak walnut kernels in hot water, peel them, then fry them in pork lard until crisp and fragrant. Let them cool before grinding into crumbs. Also grind the white sugar into fine powder.

　　4. Mix the processed pork fat, powdered sugar, and ground black sesame together until well blended. Shape the mixture into cubes, then slice them and sprinkle crushed walnuts on top. Cut into small pieces, roll into balls, and these will be the filling for the glutinous rice balls.

　　5. Take the drained glutinous rice flour and knead it with a little clean water until smooth. Using your left thumb, index, and middle fingers, flatten the dough thinly. Place the filling in the center of the flattened dough with your right hand, seal and pinch it closed, then roll it into a ball to form the glutinous rice ball.

　　6. Boil water in a large pot. Once the water is boiling, add the glutinous rice balls. Keep the heat at a moderate level and occasionally add cold water to regulate the temperature, preventing the water from boiling too vigorously. Once the balls float to the surface, let them float for a short while before scooping them into bowls to serve.

　　Notes: Boil water in a large pot. Once the water is boiling, add the glutinous rice balls. Keep the heat at a moderate level and occasionally add cold water to regulate the temperature, preventing the water from boiling too vigorously. Once the balls float to the surface, let them float for a short while before scooping them into bowls to serve.