Tangyuan

1Preparation

1. Grind the black sesame with the sugar in a spice grinder until fine and starting to clump.
2. Mix the ground sesame with the soft butter into a smooth black paste.
3. Chill the paste for 20 minutes until firm enough to shape.
4. Roll the paste into 16 small balls about 1.5 cm across and return them to the fridge.
5. Add the warm water to the flour gradually and knead into a smooth, soft dough like modelling clay that neither cracks nor sticks.
6. Divide the dough into 16 pieces and press each into a small cup shape in your palm.
7. Put a ball of filling in each cup, close the dough around it and roll into a smooth ball with no cracks.

2Cooking

1. Simmer the water with the ginger slices and brown sugar until the sugar dissolves and the syrup tastes of ginger.

   🔥 medium heat⏱ 10 min timer
2. In another pot, bring plenty of water to the boil.

   🔥 high heat⏱ 5 min timer
3. Drop the balls into the boiling water and stir gently so they do not stick to the bottom. Cook until they float, then 2 more minutes until puffed and soft.

   🔥 medium heat⏱ 6 min timer

3Serving

1. Lift the balls out with a slotted spoon and put 4 in each bowl.
2. Pour over the hot ginger syrup and serve right away.

💡 Tips & common mistakes

• Common mistake: cooking the balls directly in the ginger syrup — it turns cloudy and gluey. Boil them in plain water, then move them to the syrup.
• If the dough cracks when shaping, add warm water 1 tsp at a time; cracks let the filling leak into the water.
• If your sesame is raw, toast it in a dry pan over low heat for 3 minutes until fragrant, then cool before grinding.
• The filling is very hot after cooking, so take care with the first bite.

🔁 Substitutions

• Solid coconut oil can replace the butter.
• Ground roasted peanuts can replace the black sesame.