Sesame Balls (Jian Dui / 煎堆)
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The working recipe — the Market List, the Method, and where it lives or dies
I
Origin
Cantonese — dim sum and New Year tradition
II
Description
Deep-fried glutinous rice balls coated in sesame seeds, typically filled with lotus seed paste, red bean paste, or five-kernel nut mixture. The balls expand dramatically during frying as steam expands the hollow interior, while the exterior becomes a crisp, sesame-studded shell. Iconic Chinese New Year food and dim sum dessert.
III
The Thread
—Japanese mochi rice cakes (glutinous rice base)
—Korean jeon dumplings (fried glutinous)
—Indian gulab jamun (fried sweet sphere, different dough)
IV
Flavour Context
Nutty sesame crust, crispy-chewy glutinous exterior, sweet dense filling — texturally one of the most satisfying Chinese desserts
Pillars V — VII
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