Jian dui or sesame balls are a fried Chinese pastry made of glutinous rice flour and coated with sesame seeds. The balls generally have a filling like lotus paste, black bean paste or any other paste. They can also be called matuan, mayuan or zhendai. So make these balls yourself by following this most delicious dessert recipe, and enjoy a treat that can be enjoyed as a snack or a dessert.
Ingredients:
- 180 gm glutinous rice flour (divided)
- 60 gm granulated sugar
- 59 gm boiling water
- 74 gm room temperature water (plus 1 tablespoon)
- 40 gm sesame seeds (raw or toasted are both fine)
- 950 ml peanut or vegetable oil (for frying)
For the lotus paste:
- 340 gm dried lotus seeds
- 950 ml water
- 200 gm powdered sugar
- 300 ml peanut oil
Directions:
- First, make the lotus paste. Split the lotus seeds in half through the top. Remove the green bitter centre. Rinse and place in a bowl with water. Soak overnight. Drain and rinse the seeds the next morning. In a pot, add the seeds with water and place on medium heat. Once the water is boiling, turn down the heat and let it simmer. The seeds should become soft. Turn off the heat. Then cool and drain the water. Then, in a processor, puree the cooked lotus seeds, then transfer the puree to a pan. Place on medium heat, stirring constantly. Then add teh sugar and oil and fully incorporate it. It's done when it can hold it's shape. Cool and store in the fridge.
- Now make the dough balls. Place the rice flour and sugar in a bowl. Pour boiling water into the mixture and mix with a rubber spatula until smooth. Let sit for five minutes. Then add the room temperature water and the rest of the flour. Mix till it forms a dough and all the flour has been well incorporated. Cover with a plate. Set aside for 30 minutes.
- Place the sesame seeds in a strainer and rinse them. Then place the seeds on a plate. Spread them out evenly. They should be moist, but not dripping wet. If they are the latter, use a paper towel to get off some of the moisture.
- Roll the lotus paste into balls. Set aside.
- Separate the dough into eight equal pieces and roll them into balls. Set them aside on a plate and cover them so they don't dry out.
- Now, it's time to assemble. Flatten the dough ball slightly. The middle should be slightly thicker. Place one ball of filling in the middle of the dough and wrap the dough around the ball. Pinch the edges of the dough together so it covers the filling completely.
- Once the filling is fully covered, gently press it all together to form a ball by rolling it between your palms. Smoothen out the seams too.
- Roll the ball in the sesame seeds until it is thoroughly covered. Gently press the sesame seeds into the dough and place the ball on parchment paper. Repeat with all the balls.
- Heat oil in a pot. Slowly add the balls into the oil once it is hot. Gently fry the balls, turning them around to ensure even frying. After about 10 minutes, the sesame balls will start to float to the top of the oil. Keep the balls rolling and frying till they are light golden brown. The balls will expand slightly at this stage.
- Transfer the fried dough balls into a stainer or cooling rack. Tap paper towels on the balls to absorb excess oil. Repeat with all the balls. Let them cool for about 10 minutes.
- Then serve warm.
Notes, tips and tricks:
- The sesame seed balls will be slightly crunchy to eat. But as time passes, they will get softer. Keep this in mind for any leftover balls. Those can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for about a week. When ready to eat, reheat them in the toaster oven for about eight minutes or until the outside is crisp again. They can also be reheated in an air fryer. But they are best enjoyed fresh, as with any fried treat, since they have the most flavor at that time.