Air-Fried Sesame Balls: A Quick, Easy Treat

Sesame balls are a popular pastry in China and Hong Kong. They are made from glutinous rice flour and are usually filled with sweet bean paste, lotus seed paste, or peanut filling. The dough ball is then coated with sesame seeds and deep-fried until golden brown and puffy. This paragraph will provide an introduction to the topic of how to make sesame balls in an air fryer, a healthier alternative to deep-frying.

Choosing a filling

The fillings for sesame balls can vary according to your taste and preference. Here are some options:

• Sweet bean paste
• Lotus seed paste
• Peanut filling
• Cheese filling
• Black sesame paste
• Red bean paste
• Mung bean paste
• Lotus paste
• Peanut butter
• Taro
• Green bean
• Black sesame
• Sweet potato
• Lotus paste

Some recipes suggest that you should avoid fillings that are too soft or runny, as this can cause the sesame balls to burst during frying. Instead, opt for a firm filling to ensure a successful batch.

Making the dough

Ingredients:

• Glutinous rice flour
• Boiling water or sugar water
• Lukewarm water (optional)
• Sugar (optional)
• Oil
• Salt (optional)

Instructions:

• In a large mixing bowl, combine the glutinous rice flour with boiling water or sugar water. You can dissolve sugar in water over medium-high heat in a separate pan, ensuring the sugar is completely melted before adding it to the flour.
• Mix the ingredients until they form clumps. You can use a rubber spatula or a pair of chopsticks to slowly stir and combine the mixture.
• Add lukewarm water, a little at a time, if needed, to form a smooth and runny mixture.
• Once the dough starts to come together, add a small amount of oil and continue to knead until you have a soft, smooth, and malleable dough. The dough should not feel excessively wet or sticky. If it is too sticky, add a little more glutinous rice flour.
• Cover the dough and let it rest for about 30 minutes. This allows the dough to relax and makes it easier to work with.

Now that you have prepared the dough, you can move on to the next steps of making sesame balls, including preparing the filling, assembling the balls, and cooking them in your air fryer!

Making the filling

The filling is a simple mixture of crushed peanuts, peanut butter, and a sweetener such as honey, maple syrup, or cane sugar. You can also add toasted sesame seeds and sweetened coconut flakes to the filling.

To make the filling, mix the crushed peanuts with peanut butter and your chosen sweetener. You can adjust the amount of sweetener to your taste. If you're using honey, you can add a small pinch of salt to balance out the sweetness.

Once you've combined the ingredients, roll them into balls. If your kitchen is humid, you can refrigerate the filling for about 10 minutes to stiffen it before rolling it into balls.

The amount of filling you'll need depends on how many sesame balls you plan to make. For example, one recipe suggests using 150 grams of roasted peanuts, 90 grams of honey, and a small pinch of salt for the filling. Another recipe, which makes about 24 medium-sized sesame balls, uses 100-120 grams of mashed sweet potato for the filling.

Assembling the balls

To assemble the balls, you will need to prepare a filling of your choice, such as black sesame paste, red bean paste, lotus seed paste, peanut filling, or cheese filling. You will also need to prepare the dough by mixing glutinous rice flour, boiling water, and sugar. The dough should be soft and smooth.

Once the filling and dough are ready, follow these steps:

• Divide the dough into equal portions, depending on the number of balls you want to make.
• Take one portion of the dough and flatten it into a disc, with the middle thicker than the circumference.
• Place a ball of filling in the centre of the flattened dough.
• Wrap the filling by bringing the edges of the dough together and pinching them to seal.
• Roll the filled dough between your palms to create a smooth, round ball.
• If any cracks appear, dab a little water to smooth it out.
• Repeat this process for the remaining portions of dough and filling.
• Set up a dipping station with a plate of raw white sesame seeds and a bowl of water.
• Dip a dough ball in the water and shake off the excess.
• Roll the wet dough ball in the sesame seeds until well-coated.
• Place the ball between your palms and roll again to ensure the sesame seeds adhere.
• Repeat this process for all the dough balls.

Cooking the balls

Now that you've prepared your dough and filling, it's time to assemble and cook your sesame balls!

Assemble the balls

Before you start to assemble, set up a wrapping station. Fill one bowl with water, one bowl with a tablespoon of oil, and a plate with raw white sesame seeds. Grease your palms with oil. Take a dough ball and pinch it to flatten it into a 3- to 3.5-inch disc, with the middle thicker than the circumference. Place your filling of choice in the middle, then wrap and seal the dough around it. Roll the ball between your palms to smoothen it out. Now, dip the ball in water, shake off the excess, and roll it in the sesame seeds until well-coated. Place the ball between your palms again and roll it to ensure the sesame seeds adhere. Repeat this process for the remaining dough and filling.

Preheat your air fryer to 320°F (160°C) for 5 minutes. Brush or spray the balls with some cooking oil and put them in the air fryer basket, leaving a little space between each ball as they will expand during cooking. Air fry for about 15 minutes. Then, increase the temperature to 350°F (180°C) and air fry for another 15 minutes or until the balls are a light golden brown. The timing is just a reference; check on the balls once or twice in between. They should be crispy on the outside.

Storing and reheating

Fried sesame balls can be kept frozen. Once they have cooled down completely, place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, making sure they are not touching each other, and pop them into the freezer for about 1 hour. Then, transfer them to a freezer bag. Reheat them in a toaster oven, air fryer, or oven at 350°F for about 10 minutes or until crispy.

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