SESAME FILLED GLUTINOUS RICE BALLS These sweet rice balls are a signature dessert of the Chinese New Year celebration. They are the sugary equivalent of a dumpling and are often infused with black sesame seeds and served in a sweetened syrup flavored with ginger. INGREDIENTS Black Sesame Filling ¼ cup roasted black sesame seeds 2 tablespoons coconut sugar 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted Ginger Rice Syrup 3 slices of ginger ¼ cup coconut sugar 2 cups water 10 minutes PREP TIME 10 minutes COOK TIME Rice Balls/Dumpling 1½ cups glutinous rice flour 2 tablespoons tapioca starch 1 cup room temperature water TOTAL TIME: 20 MINUTES SERVES: 20 TANGYUAN LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY: EASY 1.
You can find out more about Chinese cuisine, its history and the Tangyuan recipe (including more pictures) by clicking here. Stage 1: Prepare your Sesame Filling 1. Take your black sesame seeds and coconut sugar and combine them in a blender. Begin blending the mixture together until you get a well-mixed, mealy texture 2. Transfer your sesame/coconut sugar mixture into a bowl, and gradually fold in your melted coconut oil 3. Next, take a small baking dish (one that can fit into the freezer) lined with parchment paper and set it next to you 4. With your hands, take a spoonful of sesame mix and roll it into the shape of a ball in your hands. When round, set the sesame filling onto your baking dish 5. Continue until you ve rolled all your filling into balls, then set the baking dish into the freezer for at least 10 minutes to help the filling harden Stage 2: Prepare Glutinous Rice Dough 1. While your sesame filling is hardening, mix your tapioca starch and glutinous rice flour in a medium-sized mixing bowl 2. With a plastic spatula in hand, gradually fold in your water into the glutinous rice flour. The flour should mix and the dough becomes pliable and goopy, but it should not be sticky. If needed, add a dash more of water into the bowl to fully mix all the flour in 3. Continue to mix for 1-2 minutes just to make sure the dough is solid and ready to prepare tangyuan with 2.
Stage 3: Prepare and Boil Tangyuan in Syrup 1. Take your sesame fillings out of the freezer and set them (along with your bowl of dough) next to your stovetop and a small stockpot 2. Put the stockpot over medium-high heat and add your water. Bring your water to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium 3. Add in your ginger slices and coconut sugar, and whisk thoroughly to make sure all the sugar has dissolved into the water. Let it cook together for 2-3 minutes thereafter as it comes back to a rolling boil 3.
Stage 3 (continued): Prepare and Boil Tangyuan in Syrup 4. Once you have a mixed syrup that is gently boiling, take a pinch of your glutinous rice flour the size of the middle of your palm, and use your hands to press and roll it flat 5. When you have a flat surface of dough, take a piece of frozen sesame filling and place it into the middle of the dough 6. Pinch and fold the dough all around the sesame filing. Make sure it s fully enclosed, then drop your rice ball into the syrup to cook. Repeat this until you ve filled your stockpot with tangyuan 7. When your tangyuan has floated to the top (1-2 minutes usually), they are fully cooked. Take them out of the stockpot and place them into a bowl that s ready to serve. If you have more dough and filling to prepare, continue until all your tangyuan are prepared and cooked 8. Finally, take some of your ginger syrup and drizzle several spoonfuls over your finished rice ball treats. Enjoy! 4.
Bon Appétit! Arousing Appetites arousingappetites.com 5.