Golden balls with sweet walnut paste

February 4, 2010

Enjoy these traditional, golden balls when warm to truly taste the rich, savoury, flavour of the sweet walnut paste.

Sweet walnut paste

1 cup toasted and finely ground California walnuts

2 tbsp honey

1 tbsp condensed milk

1/8 tsp salt

Glutinous rice dough

3 cups glutinous rice flour

1/2 cup white sesame seeds, raw

1 1/2 cups water

1/2 cup dark brown sugar

Oil for frying

Toasting walnuts

In large, dry skillet over medium-high heat, toast walnuts, stirring occasionally, until lightly brown, about one to two minutes.

Sweet walnut paste balls

In a medium-sized bowl, combine walnuts, honey, condensed milk and salt to form a thick paste. Roll the paste into 1/2-inch round balls. Set aside.

Glutinous rice dough

Place the rice flour in a medium-sized bowl and the sesame seeds in a small bowl.

Heat a small sauce pan with the water and brown sugar on medium-high heat until sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil.

Remove from heat and gently pour into rice flour and stir to incorporate until a pliable dough is formed. Knead dough with your hands a few times and roll into a ball.

Cut the ball in half and roll each half into a 10-inch log. Slice each log into 10 pieces and roll the pieces into balls.

Take one ball and form a well with your fingers. Place a walnut paste ball in the well and pinch the dough back together so the dough envelopes the walnut paste. Roll into a ball.

Lightly wet the ball with water and roll in sesame seeds.

Repeat steps until you have made 20 balls.

Pour enough oil into a deep-fryer or deep heavy-bottomed pot to come at least three inches up the side of pot. Heat to 325 F.

In batches of four, gently drop the balls into deep-fryer. After two minutes, gently squeeze the balls with wooden chopsticks or a slotted spoon to help them expand. Turn them frequently to brown evenly (five to seven minutes). Remove with a slotted spoon and let rest on a tray lined with a paper towel.

Serve warm.

Tip: Make a day ahead and refrigerate, covered. Re-fry golden balls up to two hours before serving.

~ Recipe courtesy of walnutinfo.com