Golden Sesame Balls Recipes

SESAME BALLS

Steps:

• Choose your filling-You can buy ready-made filling pastes at the Asian or Chinese grocery store, or use our lotus paste or red bean paste recipes. We used lotus paste.
• Make sesame ball dough. Place 1/2 cup (60g) glutinous rice flour and sugar in a bowl. Pour ¼ cup (60g) of boiling water into the flour and sugar. Mix with a rubber spatula until smooth. Let sit for 5 minutes. Add ¼ cup + 1 tablespoon (70g) room temperature water and the rest of the glutinous flour (1 cup, 120g). Mix with a spatula until it forms a dough, and all the flour has been incorporated. Cover with an overturned plate or put it in a reusable silicone bag. Set aside to rest for 30 minutes.
• Prepare your sesame seeds by pouring them in a fine-meshed strainer and rinsing them until they're completely soaked. Let the excess water drain and place the sesame seeds on a plate. Spread them out evenly with enough space for rolling the sesame balls. You can use a paper towel if the sesame seeds are very wet. They should be moist, but not dripping wet.
• Your filling should be half the weight of your dough ball. Use your kitchen scale to measure out 8 pieces of lotus or red bean paste that weigh 24g each. Roll them into balls and set aside.
• Weigh the dough ball on a digital kitchen scale - it should weigh about 370 to 380 grams. Whatever your weight is, divide it by 8 to get the weight for each dough ball (in our case, we got 47g). Using the kitchen scale, separate the dough into 8 equal pieces, and roll them into balls. Set them aside on a plate, and cover them so they don't dry out.
• To assemble, flatten the dough ball until it is 3 inches in diameter - the middle should be slightly thicker. Place 1 ball of filling in the center of the dough, wrapping the dough around the ball. Pinch the dough together so it covers all the filling, making the thickness of the dough as even as possible. You can pinch excess dough from the point where the sesame ball is sealed to fill empty spots or reinforce areas that look thin.
• After the filling is completely covered, gently press it all together to form a ball, rolling it between the palms of your hands until the seams disappear, and you form a uniform round ball.
• Roll the ball in the moistened sesame seeds until the entire ball is thoroughly covered. Roll the ball again in your hands to press the sesame seeds into the dough and place on parchment paper until they are ready to deep-fry.
• Heat 4 cups of peanut or canola oil in a medium deep pot to a stable 320°F/160°C. (Use a thermometer for accuracy, as achieving the right oil temperature is extremely important.) The oil should fill the pot about halfway.
• Add 4 sesame balls into the oil, and immediately use a slotted spoon to gently move them in a circular motion so they do not stick to the pot. This is a necessary step throughout the entire process to ensure even frying. Don't leave them unattended. Adding the sesame balls will lower the oil temperature down below 300°F/150°C, but shouldn't take it below 290°F/143°C. Adjust the heat slightly higher or lower to maintain the oil temperature at 300°F/150°C.
• After 10 minutes, your sesame balls will begin to float to the top of the oil. Now, your technique changes to keep them rolling in the oil so all sides get the same frying time. You can also occasionally press all four sesame balls down using a slotted spoon or small spider to keep them submerged in the oil. Do this for 2-3 minutes.
• At this stage, increase the heat to bring the oil temperature gradually up to 350°F. Fry them for another 5 minutes, for a total of 17-18 minutes, or until they turn a light golden brown. This last stage of frying at a higher temperature browns them. The sesame balls will expand and grow slightly at this higher oil temperature. The outer crust is now strong enough such that they should not burst, as long as you don't have any weak or thin spots in the dough.
• Transfer the finished sesame balls to a strainer, cooling rack or plate lined with paper towels for the oil to drain. Repeat with the second batch. Cool for 10 minutes and serve.

GOLDEN SESAME BALLS

Steps:

• In a bowl mix tahini and maple syrup until well combined. (Heat the tahini in the microwave so that it mixes easily or let the mixture sit on the counter to come to room temperature.
• Toast the sesame seeds in a skillet over medium heat for 6 to 8 minutes or until golden. Stir occasionally. Take off heat. Mix the in the turmeric into the sesame seeds while still warm-hot.
• Add the sesame seeds to the tahini maple bowl. Add the spices and mix well. Add coconut flour or protein powder and mix in. Chill the mixture for 5 to 10 minutes, then shape into balls or press in a parchment lined pan to cut into bars. Store on the counter for the day or refrigerate for upto a week.

SESAME BALLS

Steps:

• Dissolve the brown candy in 1 cup of boiling water and set aside to cool overnight.
• Place the rice flour in a large bowl. Make a well and add candy water all at once. Stir until the water is incorporated; the dough will be smooth but slightly sticky.
• Dust hands lightly with rice flour and roll dough into a thick rope. Cut the rope into 24 equal pieces, roll each piece into a ball and flatten to make a 2 1/2-inch round.
• Using the thumbs and index fingers from both hands, pleat the edge of the dough to form a cup. Place one index finger into the cup and gently press the dough into the opposite palm on all sides of the cup to create a smooth, even surface and to make the dough even thinner.
• Add a scant 1 teaspoon of the red bean paste mixture. Gently pack the filling down. Gather the edges of the dough over the filling and, again, pleat until the hole is about 1/2 inch in diameter. Squeeze together the dough, pressing to seal the dough securely. Roll between palms to form a ball. Continue filling the remainder of the dough. Place a sheet of waxed paper on the counter and sprinkle with the sesame seeds. Roll and press the outside of each ball in the sesame seeds.
• In a 8-inch wide, 5-inch deep pot, heat vegetable oil over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking, about 330 degrees on a deep-fat thermometer. Carefully add 6 sesame balls at a time, and cook over medium heat until golden, 6 to 7 minutes. As the balls float to the surface, begin to press them gently with the back of a metal spatula against the sides of the pot. The balls will expand as they are gently rotated and pressed. Increase the heat to medium-high and fry until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Place on a plate lined with several thicknesses of paper towels. Repeat with remaining sesame balls. Set aside oil to cool before discarding. Serve immediately.

GOLDEN SESAME BALLS

Steps:

• Combine sugar and shortening in a bowl to make a paste. Add rice flour, baking powder, and ice water and mix everything into a dough ball. Wrap in plastic film and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Remove dough from fridge and separate into 6 equal portions. Roll into balls and flatten the balls into thin disks. Portion lotus paste into 6 equal parts and roll into small balls. Set a lotus paste ball in the center of the flattened dough disks and wrap dough around the lotus paste. Roll between the palms of your hands until all the seams are gone and no lotus paste is showing.
• Pour sesame seeds onto a saucer and roll finished balls in the sesame seeds. Roll balls between your palms one more time to make sure sesame seeds stick.
• Pour oil into a pot and heat to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Drop balls into the hot oil and fry until golden brown, 5 to 6 minutes. Remove from the hot oil with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel-lined plate to absorb the excess oil
• Serve - be careful! The lotus paste inside the balls will be very hot.

SESAME SEED DESSERT BALLS (JIAN DUI)

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• In a wok or deep-sided, heavy saucepan, begin to heat the oil to reach 250 F. Make sure that there are at least 3 inches of oil in the wok.
• Spread the sesame seeds over a piece of wax or parchment paper. Place a small bowl of water beside the sesame seeds.
• Dissolve the brown sugar in 1 cup of the boiling water.
• Place the rice flour in a large bowl. Make a well in the middle and add the dissolved sugar and water mixture. Stir until you have a sticky, caramel-colored dough, adding as much of the remaining 1/3 cup of boiling water as needed (don't add the water if not necessary).
• Pinch off a piece of dough roughly the size of a golf ball. Use your thumb to make a deep indentation in the dough and then the thumb and index fingers of both hands to form the dough into a cup.
• Roll 1 level teaspoon of sweet red bean paste into a ball. Place the red bean paste in the hole and shape the dough over the top to seal. It is important to make sure the red bean paste is completely covered. Continue with the remainder of the dough.
• Dip one ball at a time into the small bowl of water (this will help the sesame seeds stick to the dough).
• Roll the ball over the sesame seeds. Repeat the process with the remainder of the dough balls.
• Add the sesame seed balls, a few at a time, to the hot oil.
• Once the sesame seeds turn light brown (about 2 minutes), use the back of a spatula or a large ladle to gently press the balls against the side of the wok or saucepan. Continue applying pressure as the balls turn golden brown and expand to approximately 3 times their normal size.
• Drain the deep-fried sesame seed balls on paper towels. Serve warm and enjoy.

GOLDEN SESAME ROLL-UPS

Steps:

• Mix the sugar, sesame seeds and cinnamon in a small bowl. Lay out a 12-by-16-inch piece of parchment paper. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of the sugar mixture evenly on the paper. Lay the puff pastry on top and sprinkle with another 1/2 cup of the sugar mixture. Roll out the dough into a 12-inch square, pressing the sugar into the dough with the rolling pin. Roll up the dough tightly into a log. Wrap in the parchment paper and freeze until firm, about 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Slice the log into 1/2-inch-thick rounds and place 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets. (If the spirals unravel, pinch them back together.) Freeze until firm, about 20 minutes.
• Bake until the pastry is puffed and light brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the remaining sugar mixture. Return to the oven and bake until the cookies are glazed and golden, 10 to 15 more minutes. Use a spatula to transfer the warm cookies to another sheet of parchment paper, flipping them over before the sugar hardens. Let cool completely. Store in an airtight container up to 1 week.

FRIED SESAME BALLS WITH LOTUS PASTE FILLING

Steps:

• For the lotus paste: Rinse the lotus seeds in a medium bowl under cold water, then cover with 3 to 4 cups cold water. Soak at room temperature overnight. Drain. Split each seed if whole, then remove and discard any green core, which will be bitter. Discard any dark lotus seeds.
• Combine the lotus seeds with 4 cups cold water in a medium saucepan. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer over low heat. Cook, partially covered, until the seeds are soft and easily break apart, about 1 hour, adding more water if the level falls below the seeds. Drain.
• Transfer the lotus seeds to a food processor. Add the warm water and process on high speed, stopping to scrape down the sides occasionally, until very smooth, about 1 minute. Pass through a mesh-strainer into another medium bowl, pressing on the solids. Scrape the bottom of the strainer and discard the solids (see Cook's Note).
• Combine the lotus puree, confectioners' sugar and a small pinch of salt in a medium nonstick saute pan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a flat-edge wooden spoon or firm rubber spatula, until the paste has thickened and slowly comes back together when you run a spatula across the bottom of the saute pan, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the oil 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring constantly after each addition, until incorporated. Add the corn syrup and stir until smooth. Spread the lotus paste evenly in a shallow bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing the plastic against the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Let cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes, then refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours (see Cook's Note).
• For the dough: Meanwhile, stir the wheat starch and boiling water in a medium heatproof bowl until a dough forms. Knead for 30 seconds until all the starch is hydrated. Cover with a plate and set aside until needed.
• Stir the glutinous rice flour, granulated sugar and lard in a large bowl. Add 1/3 cup cold water and stir with a spoon until a dough forms. Scrape off all the dough from the spoon and knead by hand until the flour is moistened, about 1 minute.
• Tear off small (pea-size) pieces of the wheat starch dough. Scatter over the glutinous rice dough and knead in until completely smooth. If the dough feels dry or cracks, knead in 1 tablespoon cold water at a time until the dough stops cracking. Knead for another 30 seconds, transfer the dough to a resealable bag and refrigerate for 1 hour to hydrate the flour.
• Divide the lotus paste into 8 portions (about 30 g each) and roll each into a ball. Transfer to a plate and refrigerate, covered, until ready to fill the dough balls.
• Remove the dough from the bag and knead until pliable. If it feels dry and cracks, knead in 1 tablespoon cold water at a time until smooth. Divide the dough into 8 pieces, roll each into a ball and cover with an inverted bowl to prevent it from drying.
• Working with 1 dough ball at a time, roll into a 4-inch round using a small rolling pin. Place it on your palm and thin out 1/2 inch of the edge all around using the tips of your index finger and thumb. Place a ball of lotus paste in the center, wrap the dough around it, then pinch the dough together and gently press it together to form a ball. Roll in between your palms until the seams disappear and a smooth ball forms. Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining balls of dough and lotus paste.
• For the coating: Pour the sesame seeds onto a fine-mesh strainer, run under cold water to moisten, then drain and transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Roll each ball in the sesame seeds until completely coated.
• For frying: Fill a large wok or deep Dutch oven two-thirds of the way with the neutral oil. Heat over medium-low heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 325 degrees F. Carefully add all the sesame balls and immediately start moving them along the bottom of the wok with a slotted spoon and spoon. Keep the sesame balls constantly moving to obtain the perfect round shape and fry, without letting the oil exceed 300 degrees F, until the balls expand a bit, the exterior is crisp and becomes light golden, about 10 minutes. Increase the heat to medium and continue frying, stirring constantly, without letting the oil exceed 325 degrees F, until the sesame balls are golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes. During this time, submerge the sesame balls in the hot oil and push each ball in between the two spoons to color evenly and maintain the ball shape.
• Drain the sesame balls on a paper towel-lined plate. Let cool for 10 minutes. Cut each in half with kitchen shears, just like how they are served at dim sum restaurants, and enjoy them while they're still hot.

SESAME BALLS (JIN DEUI)

Steps:

• Pour the bowl of hot water into a pot and add the sugar, stirring continuously until dissolved. Add 2 tbsp of cold water and set aside.
• Check that the water is at a lukewarm temperature. If it is too hot it will result in cooking the dough. In a large mixing bowl, slowly add the water in small increments to the glutinous rice flour whilst kneading with your hands.
• Knead until the dough is shiny and smooth. Based on the dough dryness you may not need all of the water, but if the dough is dry and crumbly, add a bit of water in small increments at a time.
• Wrap the dough in cling film to prevent it from drying out and set aside. Roll the red bean paste into 15 balls (about the size of a chestnut) and place on a plate. Separate the dough into 15 equal balls and cover with cling film.
• Using your palms, flatten the dough balls once or twice (approx 5cm in diameter). Do not flatten it too much as this would create an uneven texture. Place the red bean paste balls onto the dough and gently wrap each one using your fingertips until the filling is fully covered. Roll and shape into a ball.
• Roll the balls into a plate of sesame seeds until it has been fully coated. Pour a large amount of oil into a large deep frying pan (enough to cover a whole sesame ball), and set the flame on high until the oil heats up. To check that it is hot enough, throw a few sesame seeds into the oil. If it floats and bubbles start to form around it, the oil is ready. Turn the flame to a medium-low heat.
• Fry the sesame balls in small batches at a time (around 5). Using a wire skimmer, gently push the sesame balls around so that they do not stick to each other or to the bottom. When it begins to float, press down around each ball. This will produce more air into the sesame ball which will help it to expand. The more you press down around the ball, the bigger it will be.
• When the sesame balls have become large and a golden colour, take them out and place on oil-absorbent paper. Whilst they are cooling, gently push and roll them around a few times to prevent it from deflating when it is fully cooled. You may need to adjust the flame to a low heat when frying the other batches as they will burn quickly if the oil is too hot.

SWEET SESAME BALLS

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, heat the oil until a deep-frying thermometer reads 350°.
• In a saucepan, bring 1 cup water to a boil; stir in the brown sugar until dissolved. Place the rice flour in a medium bowl and, using a fork, stir in the sugar syrup until a sticky dough forms.
• Place the sesame seeds in a bowl. Using your hands, roll about 2 tablespoons dough into a ball.
• Roll the ball in the sesame seeds; repeat with the remaining dough.
• When the oil is hot, working in batches, fry the sesame balls until golden brown, about 4 minutes per batch.
• Transfer the sesame balls to a paper-towel-lined plate. Serve with the warm honey.

CHINESE FRIED SESAME DESSERT BALLS (JIAN DUI) RECIPE BY TASTY

Steps:

• Make the red bean filling: In a medium bowl, combine the red beans with 1 cup (240 ml) of water. Cover with plastic wrap and soak overnight.
• Drain the red beans, then transfer to a small saucepan with the remaining 3 cups (720 ml) of water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then cover and cook for 1 hour, until soft enough to mash with a fork.
• Add the sugar and cook, stirring frequently, until the liquid evaporates and a thick red bean paste forms.
• Transfer the red bean paste to a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly onto the surface of the paste to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• Make the dough: In a liquid measuring cup or small bowl, whisk the hot water with the light brown sugar until the sugar dissolves.
• Add the glutinous rice flour to a medium bowl and use a spoon to create a small well in the center.
• Pour the sugar syrup into the well and stir for 5 minutes, until the dough is well combined and no longer sticks to the bowl.
• Lightly dust a clean surface with glutinous rice flour. Turn the dough out and knead for 5 minutes, until it forms a smooth, round ball. Use a little bit more flour or water as needed.
• Divide the dough into 8 pieces. Roll the pieces into small balls, then flatten into discs about ½-inch (1 ¼ cm) thick and 2½-inches (6.5 cm) in diameter.
• Place 1 teaspoon of red bean filling in the center of a piece of dough. Fold in the edges to cover the filling, then roll into a ball. Roll the ball in the sesame seeds until the dough is covered. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.
• Heat the vegetable oil in a large pot until it reaches 350°F (180°C).
• Fry the sesame balls for 15 minutes, stirring frequently, until golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack set over a baking sheet to drain and let cool for 15 minutes before serving.
• Enjoy!