Ingredients:
- 200g glutinous rice flour
- 1 tbsp wheat starch (tang mein fun)
- 100ml freshly boiled water
- About 100ml cold water
- Black sesame seed filling
- 100g black sesame seeds
- 45g butter
- 55g soft brown sugar
Syrup:
- 5g white fungus, soaked, trimmed and cut into small florets
- 6 Chinese red dates, pitted
- 2 slices mature ginger
- 150g rock sugar
- 1.5 litres water
- 4 screwpine leaves, knotted
Directions:
- To make the syrup, combine water, ginger, rock sugar, screwpine leaves and white fungus in a deep pot. Bring to the boil then turn down the heat and simmer for 40 to 45 minutes. Halfway through, add the red dates.
- To prepare the filling, rinse black sesame seeds in clean water. Drain and toast in a clean, dry wok over medium-low heat until the seeds start to pop. Turn off the heat and dish out to cool.
- To prepare the dough, mix glutinous rice flour, wheat starch and boiling water. Mix well with a small rolling pin. Add enough cold water to mix to a soft dough.
- Pinch off a small portion of dough, roll into a thin disk and wrap around ½ teaspoon of filling. Repeat with the rest of the dough. Grind the black sesame seeds in a food processor until fine. Remove and combine with sugar and butter.
- Drop the balls of dough into a pot of boiling water. When they start to float, remove with a slotted spoon and immerse them in ice-cold water.
- To serve, dish out a bowl of white fungus ginger syrup and add three or four glutinous rice balls. Serve immediately.
