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Home » Recipes » Mochi

Oct 7, 2021(updated May 30, 2022)

Chinese Sesame Balls

4.67 from 3 votes

2 Comments

by Becca Du

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
sesame balls

This week I made one of my favorite dim sum desserts of all time – fried sesame balls. Every time I go to dim sum, I always make sure to order these things even if I’m stuffed. They’re definitely not healthy, but there’s just something about that crispy exterior and the yummy fillings that make me so happy! I sort of went in a non-traditional route by filling it with black sesame paste instead of red bean paste or mung bean paste, but I’m super happy with the result.

black sesame paste

Ingredients, Substitutions & Adjustments

Black sesame paste

I used black sesame seeds and honey in a 2:1 ratio. In my black sesame paste recipe on this blog, I used them in a 1:1 ratio. The reason for the change is that I wanted a black sesame paste that was thicker which makes it easier to form the sesame ball. A good substitute for black sesame paste is red bean paste or mung bean paste which are the more traditional fillings.

Sesame balls

  • Boiling water & light brown sugar – Both of these ingredients provide moisture to the dough. I used light brown sugar, but dark brown sugar works as well.
  • Sweet rice flour – This is the main dry ingredient in the sesame balls. I use Koda Farms mochiko sweet rice flour.
  • White & black sesame seeds (for coating) – You have the option to use a mixture of white and black sesame seeds or only one of the two. The most traditional sesame balls use only white sesame seeds.
dough

Making my Chinese sesame balls

This recipe is adapted from this one. First make your black sesame paste. Toast black sesame seeds for ~30 seconds until you smell a toasted, earthy aroma. Add the black sesame seeds to a spice grinder and pulse until you get a powder. Combine the black sesame powder and honey in a small bowl. Mix until a thick paste forms. Set aside.

Next make your dough. Combine boiling water and light brown sugar in a small bowl. Mix until uniform. Add sweet rice flour to a separate bowl. Create a well in the center of the flour. Pour the sugar water into that well and mix. Once the dough starts to form, roll the dough out onto a floured surface. Add more flour or water as needed. Knead for 5 minutes. Divide the dough into 8 even pieces.

Now it’s time to put it all together. Add white and black sesame seeds to a bowl. Set aside. In another bowl, add a 1-2 cups of water. Set aside. Take a piece of dough and roll it into a ball. Use your thumb to flatten out the ball into a 1/4 inch thick disc. Add 1 teaspoon of the black sesame paste to the center of the disc. Gather the edges of the disc and pinch together. Roll the dough between your hands to form a uniform ball. Dip the sesame ball into water and then coat with the sesame seed mixture. Repeat this process until you have 8 sesame balls.

Heat vegetable oil to 300 degrees F. Make sure the oil is 2 inches deep. Fry each sesame ball for 10 minutes until the outside is golden. Use a candy thermometer to ensure your temperature stays consistent. Dry sesame balls on paper towels before serving.

how to roll a sesame ball

Tips on how to make the perfect Chinese sesame balls

  1. Use a Dutch oven to fry these sesame balls – Most people don’t understand that the pan you use to fry food is really important. A Dutch oven is the best option for this recipe because they provide the best heat retention which is what you want for a good, even fry.
  2. Use a candy thermometer for consistency – Temperature is really important to the frying process. That’s why I would recommend getting a candy thermometer to ensure you have a consistent temperature throughout frying.
  3. Make sure sesame ball is fully submerged in the oil – This is a huge huge tip. When I was testing this recipe, I didn’t fully submerge one batch and the side that wasn’t submerge started to puff up which made it look more like an egg as opposed to a ball.
sesame balls

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sesame balls

Chinese Sesame Balls

Becca Du
Classic Chinese sesame balls with a black sesame paste filling.
4.67 from 3 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 30 mins
Cook Time 30 mins
Course Dessert
Cuisine Chinese
Servings 8 sesame balls
Calories 172 kcal

Equipment

  • Candy Thermometer
  • Spice Grinder

Ingredients
 
 

Black Sesame Paste

  • ½ cup black sesame seeds
  • ¼ cup honey

Sesame Balls

  • ⅓ cup boiling water
  • ¼ cup brown sugar
  • 1 cup sweet rice flour
  • 3 tbsp sesame seeds
  • 2 tbsp black sesame seeds
  • 5 cups vegetable oil

Instructions
 

  • First make your black sesame paste. Toast black sesame seeds for ~30 seconds until you smell a toasted, earthy aroma. Add the black sesame seeds to a spice grinder and pulse until you get a powder. Combine the black sesame powder and honey in a small bowl. Mix until a thick paste forms. Set aside. 
  • Next make your dough. Combine boiling water and light brown sugar in a small bowl. Mix until uniform.
  • Add sweet rice flour to a separate bowl. Create a well in the center of the flour. Pour the sugar water into that well and mix. Once the dough starts to form, roll the dough out onto a floured surface. Add more flour or water as needed. Knead for 5 minutes. Divide the dough into 8 even pieces.
  • Now it's time to put it all together. Add white and black sesame seeds to a bowl. Set aside. In another bowl, add a 1-2 cups of water. Set aside.
  • Take a piece of dough and roll it into a ball. Use your thumb to flatten out the ball into a 1/4 inch thick disc. Add 1 teaspoon of the black sesame paste to the center of the disc. Gather the edges of the disc and pinch together. Roll the dough between your hands to form a uniform ball. Dip the sesame ball into water and then coat with the sesame seed mixture. Repeat this process until you have 8 sesame balls.
  • Heat vegetable oil to 300 degrees F. Make sure the oil is 2 inches deep. Fry each sesame ball for 10 minutes until the outside is golden. Use a candy thermometer to ensure your temperature stays consistent. Dry sesame balls on paper towels before serving.

Notes

For a more traditional filling, use red bean paste or mung bean paste.

Nutrition

Serving: 1sesame ballCalories: 172kcalCarbohydrates: 29gProtein: 3gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 4mgPotassium: 71mgFiber: 2gSugar: 11gCalcium: 105mgIron: 2mg
Keyword sesame balls
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Clarisse says

    November 3, 2020 at 4:37 am

    Love this recipe! Just wondering if you could make this ahead of time?

    Reply
    • Becca says

      November 3, 2020 at 8:47 am

      Hi Clarisse. Yes you can! Throw it in the toaster oven to reheat it.

      Reply

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Hello I'm Becca! I believe any day can be made better with a bowl of noodle soup. Here you will find recipes from my Chinese/Vietnamese heritage and stories from my experience living here in beautiful LA. Grab a drink and stay awhile! Read More

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