Black Sesame Tangyuan in Ginger Syrup

Method

1. Put the sesame seeds in a dry 20 cm frying pan over medium-low heat and toast for 4 min, stirring constantly, until they smell nutty and a few start to pop. Black seeds barely change colour, so go by smell and stop before they smell bitter. Tip them onto a plate to cool.

   Add in this stepBlack sesame seeds (raw) 40 g

   medium-low heat

2. Grind the cooled sesame with the filling sugar in a spice grinder or mortar until it looks like damp, oily sand. Stir in the lard to make a dark paste, then freeze for 15 min until firm. Roll it into 10 balls about 1.5 cm across and put them back in the freezer.

   Add in this stepSugar (for the filling) 30 gLard or soft unsalted butter 20 g

3. Put the glutinous rice flour in a bowl, add the warm water a little at a time while stirring with chopsticks, then knead by hand into a smooth dough as soft as an earlobe. If it cracks, add a few drops of water; if it sticks, a little more flour. Roll it into a log, cut it into 10 equal pieces and keep them under a damp cloth.

   Add in this stepGlutinous rice flour 100 gWarm water (about 40 °C) 90 ml

4. Press one piece in your palm into a 6 cm disc, thinner at the edge than in the middle, and cup it. Put a frozen filling ball in the centre, push the dough up around it and pinch to seal, then roll between your palms until perfectly round with no cracks. Repeat with the rest.

5. Thinly slice the ginger. Put it in a 18 cm pot with the syrup water and brown sugar, bring to a boil on high heat, then turn down to low heat and simmer for 12 min until the syrup tastes warmly of ginger. Keep it hot on the lowest heat.

   Add in this stepFresh ginger 15 gBrown sugar 35 gWater (for the syrup) 550 ml

   high heat→low heat

6. Bring a 20 cm pot two-thirds full of water to a rolling boil on high heat. Slide in the tangyuan and at once stir gently along the bottom so they don't stick. When the water boils again, turn down to medium heat so they don't burst and cook for 6 min. They are done when they float and look slightly puffed and glossy; cut one open to check there is no white, floury core.

   high heat→medium heat

7. Lift the tangyuan into bowls with a slotted spoon and ladle the hot ginger syrup over them; take out the ginger slices if you like. The filling is molten, so take a small first bite.