Sesame balls are one of the most popular desserts in China and some Southeast Asia countries. Street vendors sell them and you can also get them at dim sum restaurants. It is a quite challenging Chinese recipe though. The problem comes during deep-frying – the sesame balls need to be turned continually to expand and become center-hollowed. You just need practice to skillfully manoeuvre the balls in the hot oil.
Yields 12 sesame balls,
- Make the dough
150g glutinous rice flour糯米
45g caster sugar 白糖
110g water （bring it to a boil）
½ tablespoon cooking oil
- 30g white sesame seeds
- cooking oil for deep drying
Method
- Place glutinous rice flour in a mixing bowl.
- Bring the water to a boil. Resolve the sugar in the hot water. Pour the hot sugar syrup into the glutinous flour, stir and mix well.
- Add in ½ tablespoon of oil, knead until smooth and shiny dough is formed. Wrap with cling wrap and set aside for 10 minutes.
- Divide dough into 12 portions (25 g each), roll dough into ball shape, cover with cling wrap.
- Coat generously with sesame seeds, press gently so that sesame seeds can stick firmly on the surface.
- Drop the sesame balls into oil when the oil starts to heat up, about 120°C to 130°C. Use medium-low heat to avoid burning. In 3 minutes or so, the balls will start float up to the surface.
- Stir and gently press down with a slotted spoon while frying, sesame balls will expand in size. The secret is to gently press until the balls expand, crispy crust will form around the chewy and hollow center. Repeat the ‘pressing down’ in 3 or 4 times. In the meantime, use slotted spoon gently moving around the balls to ensure they are evenly cooked. Deep fried to golden perfection – this step takes about 15-20 minutes.
- Ready to serve. This dessert is better served while it’s still hot and it’s not suitable for storing in the fridge. Ideally, eat it as soon as possible for the best taste.
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