Chinese Sesame Balls With Red Bean Paste

Sesame balls are a much loved Chinese snack. They are basically a kind of fried pasta dough using glutinous rice flour and coated with sesame seeds.

Some versions include a filling of bean-paste or other fillings, but some are not filled at all.

Filled sesame balls have a thin, crispy skin, and even though they are hollow, they don’t deflate once cooled.

Bean-Paste Sesame Balls

Today I am going to show you how to make pumpkin bean-paste sesame balls.

Golden pumpkin is delicious and makes beautiful sesame balls with a golden color.

The sweet bean-paste and fragrant sesame seeds are enough to tempt just about anyone.

For 10 Chinese Pumpkin Bean-Paste Sesame Balls, you will need the following ingredients:

  • 200 grams steamed pumpkin
  • 40 grams light cream
  • 20 grams powdered sugar
  • 240 grams glutinous rice flour
  • 200 grams red bean paste
  • Cooked white sesame seeds, enough for coating 10 balls
  • Vegetable oil, enough for frying

How to make sesame balls
Paste Sesame Balls methodBean-Paste Sesame Balls method2

1.Wash the pumpkin and cut it into large pieces. Steam for about half an hour or until cooked completely.

Allow to cool enough to handle, and scrape the cooked pulp from the skin with a small spoon. (Tip – You can eliminate the scraping step if you remove the skin before steaming the pumpkin pieces.)

2. In a small bowl, mix evenly the pumpkin with the light cream and powdered sugar.

3. Sift the rice flour into the pumpkin mixture and combine.

4. Once combined, knead the dough until it reaches a smooth soft consistency and is no longer sticky. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 30 minutes.

5. While the pumpkin dough is resting, divide the bean-paste into 10 equal pieces and roll each into a ball.

6. Divide the rested dough equally into 10 parts, about 20 grams each. Roll each piece into a ball.

7. To fill, knead each ball into a flattened round and place one bean-paste ball in the center of the dough round. Form the ball by pulling the pumpkin dough around the bean-paste, then roll to make a smooth ball.

8. Roll each ball in the sesame seeds to coat completely.

9. Heat enough oil (the more the better) over low fire in a pot large enough so that the balls won’t touch the bottom (or they may stick) and will have enough room so they don’t stick together.

10. When the oil starts to smoke slightly, carefully drop in the balls. (Tip – If you’re not sure if the oil is hot enough, you can test it by inserting a chopstick. If you see a string of small bubbles, it’s hot enough.)

Tips To make perfect Sesame Balls

You may have to work in batches. Don’t crowd the pot. Watch carefully.

After a few minutes, gently flip the balls with a chopstick so they cook evenly. When the sesame balls have fried to a dark golden color, remove from the oil and drain.

(Tip – Take the first one that reaches a dark golden color out, cut it open, and if it’s cooked, you’ll know the right color you are looking for.) Enjoy right away.Bean-Paste Sesame Balls

Bean-Paste Sesame Balls

Chinese Sesame Balls

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Ingredients

  • 200 grams steamed pumpkin
  • 40 grams light cream
  • 20 grams powdered sugar
  • 240 grams glutinous rice flour
  • 200 grams red bean paste
  • 50g Cooked white sesame seeds
  • 100ml Vegetable oil

Instructions

  • Wash the pumpkin and cut it into large pieces. Steam for about half an hour or until cooked completely. Allow to cool enough to handle, and scrape the cooked pulp from the skin with a small spoon. 
  • In a small bowl, mix evenly the pumpkin with the light cream and powdered sugar.
  • Sift the rice flour into the pumpkin mixture and combine.
  • Once combined, knead the dough until it reaches a smooth soft consistency and is no longer sticky. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 30 minutes.
  • While the pumpkin dough is resting, divide the bean-paste into 10 equal pieces and roll each into a ball.
  • Divide the rested dough equally into 10 parts, about 20 grams each. Roll each piece into a ball.
  • To fill, knead each ball into a flattened round and place one bean-paste ball in the center of the dough round. Form the ball by pulling the pumpkin dough around the bean-paste, then roll to make a smooth ball.
  • Roll each ball in the sesame seeds to coat completely.
  • Heat enough oil (the more the better) over low fire in a pot large enough so that the balls won’t touch the bottom (or they may stick) and will have enough room so they don’t stick together.
  • When the oil starts to smoke slightly, carefully drop in the balls. 
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Bean-Paste Sesame Balls Bean-Paste Sesame Balls

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