- 6 Tablespoons red bean paste *
- 1 3/4 heaping cups (1/2 pound) of glutinous sweet rice flour **
- 2/3 cup water
- 2/3 cup lightly packed brown sugar
- 1/3 cup raw white sesame seeds
- Oil for frying
- Prepare 18 spheres of filling by measuring 1 level teaspoon of red bean paste and rolling into a small ball. Repeat this until all 18 rounds are prepared. Put on a plate, cover, and set aside until ready to use.
- Place glutinous rice flour in a large bowl and make a large well in the center. Prepare a small bowl of water nearby for wetting the hands during the dough-forming process later.
- In a small saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Add brown sugar and stir until completely dissolved. Remove from heat and pour into the well created in the flour.
- Using a wooden spoon or spatula, stir together flour and sugar mixture until combined. Occasionally press the mixture together to help it form a shaggy dough.
- Pour out mixture into a clean work surface. If it's still too warm to the touch let it cool for a moment before kneading. Knead until dough becomes smooth.
- Cut the dough into 3 pieces. Working with one piece at a time, give the dough a gentle squeeze to see if it cracks. The dough tends to dry quickly so at any time the dough cracks, just wet your hands in the prepared bowl of water and squeeze on the dough to bring some moisture back.
- Now roll out the first piece of dough into a chubby log about 6-inches long. If it feels dry as you roll, wet your hands again-- the extra water should soften and smooth out the dough. Cut the log into 6 even pieces, then roll each piece into a ball and cover with plastic wrap to prevent drying. Repeat with remaining dough pieces until 18 dough balls are created.
- Take a piece of dough ball and make a deep indentation with your thumb to create a little cup for the filling. (Or you can press the dough between your palms to turn it into a flat round.) Make sure the dough isn't too thick. Put the formed balls of filling into the indentation (or at the center of the flat rounds) then seal the filling inside.
- Roll the filled balls between your hands to make it perfectly round and smooth. If the dough feels dry, slightly wet your hands before rolling. Set aside and cover with plastic wrap before continuing with the rest of the dough and filling.
- Once all the dough has been filled and formed, place sesame seeds inside a bowl. Working with one dumpling at a time, dunk into the bowl of water (used for hands), shake off excess wetness, then coat in sesame seeds. Make sure the balls are completely coated all around before placing back on the work surface. Repeat with the rest of the dumplings.
- Give the coated dumplings a last roll between the palms to make the sesame seeds adhere well to the dough. This also helps remove excess sesame seeds. Place on a plate and cover with plastic wrap.
- Prepare a platter or baking sheet lined with paper towels and set near the stove. Pour oil into a wok or pot to a depth of about 2-1/2 inches. Heat over medium-high heat until it registers 350°F on a deep-fry thermometer.
- Lower heat to medium to steady the temperature, then carefully lower the balls into the hot oil about 6 at a time. The balls will sink and stay at the bottom of the wok for about 2 to 4 minutes before floating to the surface. While still at the bottom, frequently turn and stir the balls to prevent uneven browning.
- Once the balls have floated up, use the spatula to submerge the ball into the oil again, pressing it gently against the side of the pan or wok for 1 to 2 minutes. This helps the balls expand a bit. Once it expands by about twice its original size, release it and move on to the next ball. After the pressing process, allow the balls to fry until golden brown. (The whole process takes about 7 to 8 minutes.)
- Once cooked, take out the sesame balls, letting excess oil drip back into the wok, then transfer to the paper towel-lined plate. Repeat process until all sesame balls are fried.
- These are best eaten a little warm (for crispiness) and on the day they are made. If there are any leftovers, cover with parchment paper and leave at room temperature. These can be refried at 350°F using 2-1/2 inches of oil; or reheated in a 400°F (205°C) oven for about 5 minutes until gently sizzling.
* Fillings are interchangeable depending on your taste and/or availability of the ingredients. You can substitute with black bean paste, or lotus paste. You can also opt for a chopped peanut filling by mixing 1/4 cup coarsely chopped peanuts with 2-1/2 Tablespoons sugar and 2 pinches of salt.
** Please note glutinous rice flour is different from regular rice flour.
Source:The Tummy Train
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