Best Sesame Balls Zeen Doy Recipes

SESAME BALLS (ZEEN DOY)

Steps:

• In a wok or deep-sided, heavy saucepan, pre-heat the oil for deep-frying to 350 degrees F. Make sure that there is at least 3 inches of oil in the wok. Spread the sesame seeds over a piece of wax or parchment paper. Place a small bowl of water beside the sesame seeds.
• Dissolve the brown sugar in 1 cup of the boiling water.
• Place the rice flour in a large bowl. Make a "well" in the middle of the bowl and add the dissolved sugar and water mixture. Stir until you have a sticky, caramel-colored dough, adding as much of the remaining 1/3 cup of boiling water as needed (don't add the water if not needed).
• Pinch off a piece of dough roughly the size of an average golf ball (about 1 tablespoon).
• Push your thumb into the dough to make an indentation. Roll 1 level teaspoon of sweet red bean paste into a ball. Place the red bean paste in the hole, and shape the dough over the top to seal. Make sure the red bean paste is completely covered. Continue with the remainder of the dough.
• Dip a ball into the small bowl of water (this will help the sesame seeds stick to the ball). Roll the ball over the sesame seeds. Repeat the process with the remainder of the balls. Deep-fry the sesame seed balls, a few at a time, in the hot oil.
• Once the sesame seeds turn light brown (about 2 minutes), use the back of a spatula or a large ladle to gently press the balls against the side of the wok or saucepan. Continue applying pressure as the balls turn golden brown and expand to approximately 3 times their normal size.
• Drain the deep-fried sesame seed balls on paper towels. Serve warm. If preparing ahead, refrigerate and then re-heat the balls until they puff up again.

SESAME RICE BALLS

Steps:

• Place the rice in a pan with 2 ½ cups of cold water and a pinch sea salt.
• Bring to the boil and reduce to simmer for 30 - 35 minutes until cooked.
• n a food processor grind half the cooked rice until it becomes sticky and glues together.
• Add ground rice to a bowl with the remaining rice, vegetables and sesame seeds.
• Using your hands take a small amount of the rice and veggie mix and make a ball the size of a 50 cent piece.
• Push index finger through to centre and place a blob of umeboshi if using and close up the ball. Sushi ginger also works well too.
• Continue this process until all the rice mix has been used.
• Roll each ball in the sesame seed and wind a strip of damp nori around each ball.
• Brush each ball with sesame oil.
• Place the balls on a baking sheet lined with baking paper and bake in the oven for 15 minutes at 160C.
• Serve with a dipping sauce of tamari.

FRIED SESAME BALLS WITH LOTUS PASTE FILLING

Steps:

• For the lotus paste: Rinse the lotus seeds in a medium bowl under cold water, then cover with 3 to 4 cups cold water. Soak at room temperature overnight. Drain. Split each seed if whole, then remove and discard any green core, which will be bitter. Discard any dark lotus seeds.
• Combine the lotus seeds with 4 cups cold water in a medium saucepan. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer over low heat. Cook, partially covered, until the seeds are soft and easily break apart, about 1 hour, adding more water if the level falls below the seeds. Drain.
• Transfer the lotus seeds to a food processor. Add the warm water and process on high speed, stopping to scrape down the sides occasionally, until very smooth, about 1 minute. Pass through a mesh-strainer into another medium bowl, pressing on the solids. Scrape the bottom of the strainer and discard the solids (see Cook's Note).
• Combine the lotus puree, confectioners' sugar and a small pinch of salt in a medium nonstick saute pan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a flat-edge wooden spoon or firm rubber spatula, until the paste has thickened and slowly comes back together when you run a spatula across the bottom of the saute pan, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the oil 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring constantly after each addition, until incorporated. Add the corn syrup and stir until smooth. Spread the lotus paste evenly in a shallow bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing the plastic against the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Let cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes, then refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours (see Cook's Note).
• For the dough: Meanwhile, stir the wheat starch and boiling water in a medium heatproof bowl until a dough forms. Knead for 30 seconds until all the starch is hydrated. Cover with a plate and set aside until needed.
• Stir the glutinous rice flour, granulated sugar and lard in a large bowl. Add 1/3 cup cold water and stir with a spoon until a dough forms. Scrape off all the dough from the spoon and knead by hand until the flour is moistened, about 1 minute.
• Tear off small (pea-size) pieces of the wheat starch dough. Scatter over the glutinous rice dough and knead in until completely smooth. If the dough feels dry or cracks, knead in 1 tablespoon cold water at a time until the dough stops cracking. Knead for another 30 seconds, transfer the dough to a resealable bag and refrigerate for 1 hour to hydrate the flour.
• Divide the lotus paste into 8 portions (about 30 g each) and roll each into a ball. Transfer to a plate and refrigerate, covered, until ready to fill the dough balls.
• Remove the dough from the bag and knead until pliable. If it feels dry and cracks, knead in 1 tablespoon cold water at a time until smooth. Divide the dough into 8 pieces, roll each into a ball and cover with an inverted bowl to prevent it from drying.
• Working with 1 dough ball at a time, roll into a 4-inch round using a small rolling pin. Place it on your palm and thin out 1/2 inch of the edge all around using the tips of your index finger and thumb. Place a ball of lotus paste in the center, wrap the dough around it, then pinch the dough together and gently press it together to form a ball. Roll in between your palms until the seams disappear and a smooth ball forms. Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining balls of dough and lotus paste.
• For the coating: Pour the sesame seeds onto a fine-mesh strainer, run under cold water to moisten, then drain and transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Roll each ball in the sesame seeds until completely coated.
• For frying: Fill a large wok or deep Dutch oven two-thirds of the way with the neutral oil. Heat over medium-low heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 325 degrees F. Carefully add all the sesame balls and immediately start moving them along the bottom of the wok with a slotted spoon and spoon. Keep the sesame balls constantly moving to obtain the perfect round shape and fry, without letting the oil exceed 300 degrees F, until the balls expand a bit, the exterior is crisp and becomes light golden, about 10 minutes. Increase the heat to medium and continue frying, stirring constantly, without letting the oil exceed 325 degrees F, until the sesame balls are golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes. During this time, submerge the sesame balls in the hot oil and push each ball in between the two spoons to color evenly and maintain the ball shape.
• Drain the sesame balls on a paper towel-lined plate. Let cool for 10 minutes. Cut each in half with kitchen shears, just like how they are served at dim sum restaurants, and enjoy them while they're still hot.

SWEET SESAME BALLS

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, heat the oil until a deep-frying thermometer reads 350°.
• In a saucepan, bring 1 cup water to a boil; stir in the brown sugar until dissolved. Place the rice flour in a medium bowl and, using a fork, stir in the sugar syrup until a sticky dough forms.
• Place the sesame seeds in a bowl. Using your hands, roll about 2 tablespoons dough into a ball.
• Roll the ball in the sesame seeds; repeat with the remaining dough.
• When the oil is hot, working in batches, fry the sesame balls until golden brown, about 4 minutes per batch.
• Transfer the sesame balls to a paper-towel-lined plate. Serve with the warm honey.

SESAME BALLS

Steps:

• Dissolve the brown candy in 1 cup of boiling water and set aside to cool overnight.
• Place the rice flour in a large bowl. Make a well and add candy water all at once. Stir until the water is incorporated; the dough will be smooth but slightly sticky.
• Dust hands lightly with rice flour and roll dough into a thick rope. Cut the rope into 24 equal pieces, roll each piece into a ball and flatten to make a 2 1/2-inch round.
• Using the thumbs and index fingers from both hands, pleat the edge of the dough to form a cup. Place one index finger into the cup and gently press the dough into the opposite palm on all sides of the cup to create a smooth, even surface and to make the dough even thinner.
• Add a scant 1 teaspoon of the red bean paste mixture. Gently pack the filling down. Gather the edges of the dough over the filling and, again, pleat until the hole is about 1/2 inch in diameter. Squeeze together the dough, pressing to seal the dough securely. Roll between palms to form a ball. Continue filling the remainder of the dough. Place a sheet of waxed paper on the counter and sprinkle with the sesame seeds. Roll and press the outside of each ball in the sesame seeds.
• In a 8-inch wide, 5-inch deep pot, heat vegetable oil over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking, about 330 degrees on a deep-fat thermometer. Carefully add 6 sesame balls at a time, and cook over medium heat until golden, 6 to 7 minutes. As the balls float to the surface, begin to press them gently with the back of a metal spatula against the sides of the pot. The balls will expand as they are gently rotated and pressed. Increase the heat to medium-high and fry until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Place on a plate lined with several thicknesses of paper towels. Repeat with remaining sesame balls. Set aside oil to cool before discarding. Serve immediately.