Fried Sesame Balls, also known as Jian Dui, are a classic Chinese dessert traditionally served during Lunar New Year. The crisp, chewy pastries are made with glutinous rice flour filled with sweet red bean paste. A coating of sesame seeds give them a toasty, nutty finish when fried.
2cups290g glutinous rice flour, plus extra for dusting
1/2cup80g sesame seeds
6cups46 oz. bottle vegetable or peanut oil
Pinchor two of fine grain sea saltoptional but tasty!
Instructions
Make the red bean paste: Combine the red beans with 1 cup (240 ml) of the water in a medium bowl; cover with plastic wrap and soak 8 hours, or overnight.
Drain the water from the beans and transfer to a medium saucepan with the remaining 3 cups (720 ml) of water. Bring to a boil. Cover and cook for approximately 1 hour on medium high heat, until the beans are soft and mash easily with the tines of a fork. Stir in the granulated sugar and cook, stirring constantly until the water evaporates and a dry paste forms. Transfer the paste to a bowl and covered with a damp towel, and the damp towel covered with plastic wrap so the bean paste doesn’t dry out. Refrigerate if you are not using immediately.
Make the dough: Whisk the hot water and the light brown sugar together in a small liquid measure until the sugar dissolves to create a sugar syrup. Add the glutinous rice flour to a separate medium bowl and use make a well in the center of the flour. Pour the sugar syrup in the well and stir for 5 minutes, or until the dough is well combined and no longer sticks to the bowl. The dough should be soft and slightly sticky and not dry. Add water or flour as needed to achieve a slightly sticky, soft dough.
Lightly dust a work surface with more rice flour, then turn the dough out and knead gently for 2-3 turns and form into a baton shape about 6 inches long.
Cut the dough into eight even pieces (if desired, use a scale to weigh the pieces so they’ll be uniform). Roll the pieces into balls between your palms and then flatten to 1/4-inch thickness. Place a teaspoon of bean paste into the center of each piece of dough. Pinch the ends of the dough together, encasing the filling and roll into a ball between your palms. Roll each ball into the sesame seeds. If the dough seems dry on the outside and seeds will not stick, very lightly brush with water using a pastry brush to dampen.
Heat the oil in a large pot or saucepan until it reaches 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180C) on a deep fry thermometer. When the oil is at the correct temperature, submerge the sesame balls in the oil and cook for 7-10 minutes until golden brown, stirring frequently so that they fry evenly. Scoop out with a metal slotted spoon or mesh skimmer, and then transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Immediately sprinkle with a pinch of fine grain sea salt, if desired. Let cool slightly before serving.
Notes
Adapted from a recipe by Frank Tiu (Tasty)You may shortcut this recipe by using purchased red bean paste. See blog post for product links. Plan ahead if you’re making the bean paste from scratch, as the beans need to soak overnight.