Chinese Sesame Balls

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5 from 2 votes

Classic Chinese sesame balls with a black sesame paste filling.

Prep Time30 mins

Cook Time30 mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Chinese

Keyword: sesame balls

Servings: sesame balls

Calories: 172kcal

Equipment

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

US Customary - Metric

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