SESAME SEED BALLS

Steps:

• If you are using one of the bean pastes for a filling, measure 1 level teaspoon of paste for each dumpling and roll each portion into a small ball. Put on a plate, cover, and set aside. If you are using the peanut filling, put it in a small bowl.
• Put the rice flour in a bowl and make a large well in the center. Have a small bowl of water nearby for wetting your hands later. Bring the 2/3 cup water to a boil in a small saucepan. Add the candy and stir until completely dissolved. Remove from the heat and pour the sugar syrup into the rice flour. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to combine, stirring and eventually pressing the ingredients into a ball. Transfer to a work surface (the dough will still be warm, so be careful) and knead until smooth.
• Cut the dough into 3 pieces. Take a piece and give it a gentle squeeze. This dough tends to dry quickly due to the hot water evaporating. If cracks form, wet your hands and squeeze on the dough. Roll it on your work surface into a chubby log about 6 inches long. The extra water should soften and smooth the dough out. Cut the log into 6 even-size pieces. Roll each piece into a ball and cover with plastic wrap to prevent drying. Repeat with the remaining dough pieces to yield 18 balls total.
• For each dumpling, take a ball of dough and make a deep indentation to create a little cup. Aim to make the cup about 1 inch deep. You can build up the wall by pressing it between your thumb and index finger, working all the way around. Put a ball of paste or 1 teaspoon of ground peanut mixture in the well, tapping it down a bit. Close the cup, making sure that the filling is enclosed. Pinch and twist off any extra dough and seal well. Roll the dumpling between your hands to make it perfectly round and smooth; slightly wet your hands before this final roll if the dough feels dry. Set aside and repeat to make more; cover the filled ones to prevent drying.
• Put the sesame seeds in a small bowl. Dunk each dumpling into the bowl of water, shake off the excess water, and then put it in the bowl of sesame seeds. Dredge the dumpling to coat it well with sesame seeds, then place it back on your work surface. Repeat with the remaining balls. As you gain confidence, you can dunk and coat 2 balls at a time. Working over the bowl of sesame seeds, now roll each coated ball between your palms to remove excess sesame seeds and ensure that the remaining ones adhere well. Cover the finished coated balls with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel.
• To deep-fry the balls, use a wok or a pot, about 8 inches wide and 5 inches deep (for example, a 4-quart pot). Near the stove, have a platter or baking sheet lined with several thicknesses of paper towel. Pour in the oil to a depth of 2 1/2 inches. Heat over medium-high heat to just below 350°F on a deep-fry thermometer. (If you don't have a deep-fry thermometer, stick a dry bamboo chopstick into the oil; if bubbles rise immediately to the surface and encircle the chopstick, the oil is ready.) Steady the oil temperature by lowering the heat to medium. Fry the balls, 6 at a time, for 7 to 8 minutes, carefully lowering each one into the oil. The balls will lazily fry at the bottom of the pot for 2 to 4 minutes before floating to the surface. During that period, frequently turn and stir the balls to prevent uneven browning. After they rise, use the back of a metal slotted spoon or spatula to resubmerge each one in the oil and to gently press it against the side of the pan. Press and hold for 1 to 2 seconds and release; you will see the balls expand a bit. They will rotate and swim around the pot so that each can have its turn at being pressed. Keep pressing and releasing until each is about 2 1/2 times its original size; you will develop a rhythm. When the balls are about 2 inches in diameter, stop pressing and let them fry a bit longer until golden brown. Lift them from the oil, letting excess oil drip back into the pot, then place on the paper towels to drain. Fry the remaining sesame seed balls. Adjust the heat during frying so that it remains from 340° to 360°F. Though you can eat these sesame seed balls at room temperature, when they are warm they are a tad crisper on the outside, which makes a nice contrast with the chewy inside. Do try to eat them the day they are made. If desired, reheat them in a 400°F oven for about 5 minutes until heated through and gently sizzling, or refry in 2 1/2 inches of 350°F oil for about 1 minute; they re-crisp as they cool. Cover leftovers with parchment paper and keep at room temperature.