Sesame Balls With Drunken Fig Filling Recipes

SESAME BALLS

Steps:

• Choose your filling-You can buy ready-made filling pastes at the Asian or Chinese grocery store, or use our lotus paste or red bean paste recipes. We used lotus paste.
• Make sesame ball dough. Place 1/2 cup (60g) glutinous rice flour and sugar in a bowl. Pour ¼ cup (60g) of boiling water into the flour and sugar. Mix with a rubber spatula until smooth. Let sit for 5 minutes. Add ¼ cup + 1 tablespoon (70g) room temperature water and the rest of the glutinous flour (1 cup, 120g). Mix with a spatula until it forms a dough, and all the flour has been incorporated. Cover with an overturned plate or put it in a reusable silicone bag. Set aside to rest for 30 minutes.
• Prepare your sesame seeds by pouring them in a fine-meshed strainer and rinsing them until they're completely soaked. Let the excess water drain and place the sesame seeds on a plate. Spread them out evenly with enough space for rolling the sesame balls. You can use a paper towel if the sesame seeds are very wet. They should be moist, but not dripping wet.
• Your filling should be half the weight of your dough ball. Use your kitchen scale to measure out 8 pieces of lotus or red bean paste that weigh 24g each. Roll them into balls and set aside.
• Weigh the dough ball on a digital kitchen scale - it should weigh about 370 to 380 grams. Whatever your weight is, divide it by 8 to get the weight for each dough ball (in our case, we got 47g). Using the kitchen scale, separate the dough into 8 equal pieces, and roll them into balls. Set them aside on a plate, and cover them so they don't dry out.
• To assemble, flatten the dough ball until it is 3 inches in diameter - the middle should be slightly thicker. Place 1 ball of filling in the center of the dough, wrapping the dough around the ball. Pinch the dough together so it covers all the filling, making the thickness of the dough as even as possible. You can pinch excess dough from the point where the sesame ball is sealed to fill empty spots or reinforce areas that look thin.
• After the filling is completely covered, gently press it all together to form a ball, rolling it between the palms of your hands until the seams disappear, and you form a uniform round ball.
• Roll the ball in the moistened sesame seeds until the entire ball is thoroughly covered. Roll the ball again in your hands to press the sesame seeds into the dough and place on parchment paper until they are ready to deep-fry.
• Heat 4 cups of peanut or canola oil in a medium deep pot to a stable 320°F/160°C. (Use a thermometer for accuracy, as achieving the right oil temperature is extremely important.) The oil should fill the pot about halfway.
• Add 4 sesame balls into the oil, and immediately use a slotted spoon to gently move them in a circular motion so they do not stick to the pot. This is a necessary step throughout the entire process to ensure even frying. Don't leave them unattended. Adding the sesame balls will lower the oil temperature down below 300°F/150°C, but shouldn't take it below 290°F/143°C. Adjust the heat slightly higher or lower to maintain the oil temperature at 300°F/150°C.
• After 10 minutes, your sesame balls will begin to float to the top of the oil. Now, your technique changes to keep them rolling in the oil so all sides get the same frying time. You can also occasionally press all four sesame balls down using a slotted spoon or small spider to keep them submerged in the oil. Do this for 2-3 minutes.
• At this stage, increase the heat to bring the oil temperature gradually up to 350°F. Fry them for another 5 minutes, for a total of 17-18 minutes, or until they turn a light golden brown. This last stage of frying at a higher temperature browns them. The sesame balls will expand and grow slightly at this higher oil temperature. The outer crust is now strong enough such that they should not burst, as long as you don't have any weak or thin spots in the dough.
• Transfer the finished sesame balls to a strainer, cooling rack or plate lined with paper towels for the oil to drain. Repeat with the second batch. Cool for 10 minutes and serve.

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.