Peanut Glutinous Rice Balls (汤圆 Tong Yuen)
Ingredients:
Filling
- 1 handful peanuts
- 1 tsp sesame seeds
- 1 tbsp peanut butter
- 1 tsp flour
- 1 tbsp sugar
Dough
- 1 cup glutinous rice flour
- 1/2 cup warm water
Sweet Soup
- 1/2 a stick of Chinese brown sugar
- 2 slices ginger
- 3 cups water
Directions:
Filling
- Toast peanuts in a pan on medium heat for ~10min (turn to low if it starts to burn).
- Use your fingers to peel off the skin.
- In a food processor, pulse the peanuts until fine chopped.
- In a bowl, mix together the peanuts, sesame seeds, peanut butter, and flour with your hands. Add in the sugar and stir with a spoon.
Dough
- Put the glutinous rice flour into a medium bowl.
- Slowly add in the water, about 3-4 tbsp at a time, each time mixing the dough with your hands. Stop when the dough has enough water, which is when it’s not so wet that it sticks to your hands or so dry that it cracks easily.
Forming the glutinous rice balls
- Dust a plate with a little of the flour.
- Grab a small piece of dough and roll it in your palm into a ball. Make a well in the middle then gently pinch all the way around to make the dough thinner.
- Spoon some filling into the center and pack it a bit.
- Close up the dough with your fingers then roll the ball again in your palm. Place onto plate.
- Repeat.
Final step! – The Full Dessert:
- In a small pot, bring the water, ginger, and sugar to a boil. Continue simmering until the sugar has dissolved.
- Add in the glutinous rice balls and stir so that it doesn’t stick together. Bring to a boil.
- Turn down to medium-high heat and let it continue boiling for ~7-8min (might be less if the balls are small) until they float and look somewhat translucent. Stir often.
- Serve in individual bowls.
Tips:
- When making the dough, do not pour in the water all at once! I’ve found it easier to adjust the water than the dough… much less messy and sticky!
- The balls tend to expand and get bigger while it’s being boiled so make them smaller than you want the actual size to be (I’ve made them twice and so far I’ve only gotten giant sized balls -____-)
- Even when the balls float up, if the dough is thick, the inner dough may not be fully cooked yet, so let it cook for a few more minutes after it floats.