Deep fried glutinous rice ball. Crispy on the outside, soft and chewy on the inside. Filled with sweetened red bean paste and coated with sesame seeds.

What Is Jian Dui?

Let’s make Jian Dui this year for new years eve! What is Jian Dui? Jian Dui’s are a delicious sweet Chinese snack. Jian Dui is a deep fried glutinous rice ball. Jian dui’s are also known as Chinese sesame balls or sesame seed balls. They’re crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside. You can make them plain and hollow without any filling or you can make filled sesame balls by adding your favorite ingredient like, sesame balls with red bean paste or sesame balls with lotus paste. Jian dui’s are often times filled and coated with sesame seeds - 芝麻球.

While I was growing up as a kid we always had these little chewy soft sesame seed balls, Jian Dui 煎堆 during new years eve. My dad always made sesame seed balls and we would help shape the Jian Dui while my dad was frying them. It’s one of the snacks we always had while we waited for the new year to start.

Chinese Lucky Food

Jian dui is considered as a lucky Chinese new year food. Why is Jian Dui considered a lucky food? It is because when you fry it it becomes round and golden brown. Jian Dui's round shape and golden color symbolize good luck. It’s a delicious treat to have as a snack. Jian Dui Sesame Balls are best when eaten fresh. But you can always eat them the next day, by heating them up in the oven.

Scroll down to check out the ingredients needed for the Jian Dui - Sesame Balls with step by step instructions!
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Click HERE to watch the step by step instructions on YouTube

Jian Dui 煎堆 | Sesame Balls

Jian Dui Ingredients

✿ 140 Grams Glutinous Rice Flour
✿ 25 Grams Wheat Starch
✿ 165 Grams HOT Water
✿ 50 Grams Sugar (to taste)

✿ 5 Grams Extra Wheat Starch
✿ 40 - 60 Grams Extra Glutinous Rice Flour
✿ 20 Grams Butter (or Oil)

Jian Dui INSTRUCTIONS | Click here for the recipe video

Let’s start by making the dough. Dissolve the sugar in HOT water. Combine the flours and slowly add the hot water while you keep stirring. Once Mixed add extra wheat starch and additional glutinous rice flour. Add glutinous rice flour in batches.

*Amount of glutinous rice flour depends on the humidity.
Start kneading with your hands. Knead until a non sticky smooth and stretchy dough forms. Then add butter and knead again until smooth. Wrap dough in plastic film. Let it rest at room temperature for 30 min.

Let's prepare for the filling while the dough is resting.

Roll filling in balls
* Size depends on the size of balls you’d like to make


Roll dough into a log and cut it in desired amounts. Shape each piece in a ball.

Time to add the filling! Flatten the ball by pressing it. Add the filling in the middle. Wrap the dough around the red bean paste. Close the ball and roll it round. Repeat with all.



Spray balls with some water and coat with sesame seeds (optional).
Roll the ball again to make the sesame seeds stick. Repeat with all.



Heat up oil on LOW heat. Oil temp approx. 300F.

Carefully place the sesame balls in the oil. Give it a quick stir to prevent sticking. Deep fry sesame balls until it starts to float. When floating carefully press the balls in the oil. Put up the heat to 350F. Deep fry until golden brown.

Happy New Year✿◕ ‿ ◕✿

TIPS & NOTES
✿ Don't overstuff the balls. The balls might pop and the filling will leak out.
✿ If balls are popping the oil temperature is too high.
✿ Carefully push them in the oil when they are floating, this will make them grow bigger.
✿ You can use your favorite filling. Beside red bean paste you can use lotus seed paste or egg custard.

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