Sesame Tangyuan in Ginger Syrup

📝 Ingredients

• 200 g glutinous rice flour
• 180 ml lukewarm water (for the dough)
• 60 g sesame seeds
• 1 ½ tbsp honey (30 g)
• 15 g soft unsalted butter
• 800 ml water (for the syrup)
• 50 g light brown sugar
• 30 g fresh ginger (a piece about 5 cm long)

🍴 Utensils

• Frying pan
• Blender or mini chopper
• Mixing bowl
• Medium saucepan
• Large saucepan
• Slotted spoon

📖 Steps

1. Dry-toast the sesame seeds in the frying pan for 3 to 4 minutes over a medium heat, stirring constantly, until golden and smelling nutty. Tip them straight into a bowl to stop the cooking and leave to cool for 5 minutes.
2. Blitz the sesame for 1 to 2 minutes until it forms a moist powder that starts to clump together. Add the honey and soft butter and blitz for a few more seconds to make a thick paste. Put it in the freezer for 20 minutes to firm up.
3. Meanwhile, put the glutinous rice flour in the mixing bowl and gradually pour in the lukewarm water, mixing with your hand. The dough is ready when it is smooth, as pliable as modelling clay and no longer sticks to your fingers: add a little more flour or water if needed.
4. Scoop out the hardened sesame paste with a spoon and roll it into 20 small balls (about 5 g each). Divide the rice dough into 20 equal pieces and keep the pieces you're not working with under a damp tea towel so they don't dry out.
5. Flatten a piece of dough in your palm into a 5 cm disc, place a sesame ball in the centre, then bring the edges up to enclose it completely. Roll between your hands to form a smooth ball; if the dough cracks, moisten it with a drop of water.
6. Make the syrup: peel the ginger, slice it thinly and put it in the medium saucepan with the water and brown sugar. Bring to the boil, then simmer gently for 10 minutes over a low heat so the ginger infuses the syrup well.
7. Bring about 2 L of water to the boil in the large saucepan. Drop in the tangyuan and gently stir the bottom with the slotted spoon so they don't stick. When they float to the surface, cook for another 2 to 3 minutes over a medium heat so the centre melts.
8. Lift them out with the slotted spoon and divide between 4 bowls, 5 per person, then pour the hot ginger syrup over them. Serve warm and warn your guests: the sesame centre is piping hot on the first bite.