Make these crispy sesame balls that’re golden crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside, with a sweet red bean paste for your dim sum party or Chinese New Year feast. {Vegetarian, Gluten-Free}
Weigh 140g of glutinous rice flour in a heatproof bowl, and weigh the other 50g in a separate small bowl.
Add the water, sugar and salt to a small saucepan and bring to a simmer. Stir until the sugar is fully dissolved to make a syrup.
Slowly add the syrup gradually to the heatproof bowl with the glutinous rice, while mixing with a spatula, until the mixture becomes a smooth paste without any clumps.
Gradually add the remaining 50g (1/4 cup) glutinous rice flour in three parts, stirring until a cohesive dough is formed. If the dough continues sticking to the bowl, add an additional 10g (about 1 tablespoon) of glutinous rice flour. If it becomes crumbly, add 10g (2 teaspoons) of water.
Add 1 teaspoon of oil to the dough. Knead it with your hands to incorporate. The dough should become uniform and ductile, and should not stick to the bowl.
Once the dough is completed, wrap it in plastic wrap and rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Prepare the filling
While the dough rests, weigh out the red bean paste into twelve 16g balls (approximately 1 heaping teaspoon) (*Footnote 3). After weighing, roll each red bean paste portion into a ball by rolling between the palms of your hands. Place the red bean paste balls on a tray, and put it in the freezer (this makes the wrapping much easier and mess-free).
Assemble the sesame balls
Once the dough has finished resting, transfer it to a clean working surface lightly dusted with glutinous rice flour. Roll the dough into a uniform tube. Cut the dough into 12 equal pieces that weigh approximately 32g each.
Roll each dough section into a ball with the palms of your hands, and cover with a moistened towel to prevent it from drying out.
To form the sesame balls, gently flatten a dough ball, forming a dimple in the middle. Place a chilled Red Bean Paste ball inside the dimple. Gently hold the dough ball in your dominant hand, delicately tuck the Red Bean Paste into the dough, while cupping the edge of the dough with your other hand. Continue tucking and cupping the edge of the dough, turning the dough section as you go, until the dough covers the chilled red bean paste ball. Press the edges of the dough together to completely seal the ball (*Footnote 4). Then roll the ball gently in your palms to round it out. Repeat this process with the remaining dough balls. Cover the formed balls with a wet towel to prevent them from drying out.
Place the sesame seeds in a small bowl. Wet both of your hands. Roll each ball to moisten the exterior, then place it into the bowl with sesame seeds. Gently shake the bowl in a circular motion to coat the ball evenly with sesame seeds. Place the sesame ball onto a tray. Repeat with the rest of the balls.
Cook the sesame balls
Prepare a sheet pan lined with a wire rack. Heat the oil to 300°F (150°C) in a medium-sized pot, and place half the sesame balls into the hot oil. To prevent the bottoms of the sesame balls from sticking to the pot and burning, gently stir them with a ladle or slotted spoon.
Continue frying the balls for 15 minutes, while maintaining the oil temperature at 275°F (135°C) to 290°F (143°C). If the oil exceeds 300°F (150°C), turn off the heat and let the oil temperature come back down.(*Footnote 5)
The sesame balls should begin to float to the top and puff up after the first few minutes. Stir them occasionally to ensure that the balls become evenly crispy.
After 15 minutes the balls should be a light golden brown, and the sesame seeds should be only lightly toasted. If the sesame balls look pale, slightly raise the temperature to 320-330°F (160-165°C) and continue frying for a few minutes, until the sesame balls turn light golden brown (*Footnote 6). Once the ideal color has been achieved, remove the balls from the oil, and allow them to cool on the sheet pan lined with a wire rack. Repeat the frying process with the second batch of balls.
Let the sesame balls cool off for 10 to 15 minutes before serving. Serve them warm or at room temperature.
Notes
Fine red bean paste is easier to shape, but the chunky kind works too.
Use untoasted sesame seeds, because toasted seeds will further darken after frying.
It is important to weigh out double the amount of glutinous rice dough to red bean paste. Without enough dough it will not be possible to properly seal the dough.
Ensure the dough balls are completely sealed, or else they will not puff up, and instead will fill up with oil.
It is important to keep the oil temperature under 300F. If it rises above this temperature, the sugar in the dough will quickly caramelize, which risks cracking the dough and burning its surface.
Fry the balls only until they reach a light golden brown, as their cooking will continue as they cool down. The seeds should not darken significantly.
Store and reheat: Store in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for 3 months. Reheat them in a 400°F (200°C) oven until heated through and turning crispy again.