Chinese Sesame Balls

Happy New Year of the Dragon! 龙年快乐!

Ingredients:

• 3 cups glutinous-rice flour
• 1 cup boiling water
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 cup tasted sesame seeds
• 1 cup Chinese sweet red bean paste (Adzuki)
• Cooking oil for frying

Directions:

• In a heavy saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat, make sure there's at least 3 inches of oil in the saucepan. Spread the sesame seeds over a shallow plate and place a bowl of water next to it.
• Dissolve the sugar in a cup of boiling water. Place the rice flour in a large mixing bowl, make a well in the middle of the flour and pour the sugar water mixture into the well. Stir and knead the flour until it forms sticky dough, adding a little more water if necessary. Take about 1 tablespoon of the dough (about the size of a golfball), push your thumb into the middle of the dough to make indentation. Add about 1 teaspoon of bean paste to the hole, shape the dough over the top to seal, make sure that the bean paste is completely covered. Repeat with the remaining dough.
• Dip a ball into the bowl of water, roll the ball over the sesame seeds. Repeat the process with the remainder of the ball. Deep fry the sesame balls, a few at a time, in the hot oil.
• Once the sesame seeds turn light brown, use the back of the spatula to gently press the balls against the side of the saucepan. Continue applying pressure as the balls turn golden brown and expand to approximately 3 times their normal size. Drain the balls on the paper towel. Serve warm.