Chocolate Sesame Balls Food

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.

CHOCOLATE SESAME BALLS

Steps:

• Dump the rice flour in a large bowl and make a well in the center.
• In a smaller bowl, stir together the sugar and boiling water until it has dissolved. Pour it into the well in the rice flour and add the cold water. Combine to make a dough and then knead in the bowl or on a work surface dusted very lightly with rice flour for 5 minutes, shaping it into a ball.
• Dust your hands with some rice flour and shape the dough into 12 balls, each of which is roughly the size of golf balls.
• Holding a dough ball in 1 hand, use the thumb of the other and make a hole in the dough to form a cup. Press 2 pieces chocolate, 1 on top of the other, in the hole and gather the edges of the dough together to encase the chocolate and seal the dough. Do this with each blob of dough, then roll each of the blobs in your hands until it is perfectly round, then roll the ball in the sesame seeds.
• In a double boiler or a heatproof bowl set over but not touching a pot of barely simmering water, break the second piece of chocolate into pieces and stir with a wooden spoon until it starts to melt. Once melted do not stir again, but leave it over the hot water until you are ready to serve.
• Heat the oil in a deep-fat fryer or wok to 350°F (175°C), or until a tiny piece of the dough browns in 15 seconds. Carefully deep fry the sesame seed balls, a few at a time, until the sesame seeds turn golden brown and the balls start to float to the surface, 3 to 4 minutes.
• Once cooked, place the sesame balls on a tray lined with paper towels to drain. Serve warm with the melted chocolate poured over or passed on the side. If you wish, you can cut open one of the balls on each serving plate and place a strawberry or cape gooseberry in the bed of chocolate.

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 POTATO BALLS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
• Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add sweet potatoes and cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and mash with butter, sugar, milk, salt and lemon zest. Shape mixture into balls, with a marshmallow in the center of each. Roll in cereal crumbs and place in prepared dish.
• Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until marshmallows begin to ooze.