Vietnamese sesame ball recipe

Prep Time: 40M | Cooking Time: 20 M | Total Time: 60 mins |  Servings:  20 balls

For those who spent their childhood in the 70s or 80s in Vietnam may not never forget the sesame balls -Bánh cam mè which connect with the typical street cry that you only find in Vietnam “Ai ăn bánh cam…hôn?”. Sesame ball consists of the tasty green bean and coconut filling covered with the soft and crispy crust which is mainly made of glutinous rice flour and white sesame seeds. The sesame balls are good to be served when they are still warm. You’ll enjoy the crunchiness of the shells combined with the sweetness and softness of the filling, especially the nice smell of the sesame seeds which makes it UNFORGETTABLE! Let’s explore the sesame ball recipe.

Ingredients: 

For the filling 

• 200g green beans, split without skin
• 400ml warm water
• 80g sugar
• 2g salt
• 80g shredded coconut
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tsp cooking oil

For the dough

• 230g glutinous rice flour
• 30g cup rice flour
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• 100g potato starch/ 150g steamed potato, mashed
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 80g sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp cooking oil
• 200ml water
• 120g white sesame seeds
• 1 cup oil (for deep frying)

Directions: 

Make the filling:

• Wash the green beans then cook with 400ml warm water at medium heat (6/10) for 5 minutes with the lid on. Next remove the lid and scoop the foam out and cook for more 8 minutes until they are half cooked.
• Strain all the hot water from the beans and reduce the heat to medium- low (4/10)  and cook for 5 more minutes with the lid on till they are fully cooked and soft. Note: By this way, you don’t have to soak the beans in advance. You can also cook the washed green beans with 350ml water in the rice cooker for 20 minutes
• In another pan, add oil then green beans, sugar, and shredded coconut in, while constantly stirring, mash the mixture at medium heat for about 5 minutes until all ingredients are well combined and smooth. 
• Add the vanilla extract in, mix well and put the green bean paste aside to cool down.
• Use a scoop to divide the bean paste and roll into 20 balls.

Make the dough

In a large bowl, mix all dry ingredients including glutinous rice flour, rice flour, potato starch (or mashed potato), cornstarch, sugar and baking powder for 1 minute.

In a cup, mix water, oil, and vanilla. 

Slowly pour the wet mixture in the dry one and mix for about 1 minute to make sure the dough is well combined but not sticking on your hands when touched. You can mix it with the hand mixer, the stand mixer or simply with your hands. 

Place the dough on a clean counter, then roll the dough into a thick rope. Cut the rope into 20 equal pieces, roll each piece into a ball and flatten it to make a circle.

Place the bean paste in the middle of the dough, turn the dough over on top of the filling and gently cover it by gathering the edges of the dough over the filling. Pull and press until the filling is completely covered. Roll the ball between palms to form a smooth and round ball. Continue with  the remainder of the dough. 

Place sesame seeds in a bag, put the balls in the bag and roll them around to ensure that the sesame seeds cover all over the balls.

Fry the balls: 

In a deep pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat until hot (about 330 Fahrenheit degrees). Gently place the sesame balls in the pot and deep fry until golden brown from 7 to 8 minutes. Constantly rotate the balls while frying to make sure  they are evenly cooked.

Place the fried balls  on a container lined with paper towels which absorb the oil around the balls. 

The sesame balls are good to be served immediately to enjoy the crispy bite of the shells! 

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Lilian Nguyen Prep Time: 40M | Cooking Time: 20 M | Total Time: 60 mins | Servings: 20 balls Desserts Vietnamese sesame ball recipe European Print

Serves: 20 Prep Time: 40M Cooking Time: 20 20

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 5.0/5

( 1 voted )

Ingredients

For the filling 

• 200g green beans, split without skin
• 400ml warm water
• 80g sugar
• 2g salt
• 80g shredded coconut
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tsp cooking oil

For the dough

• 230g glutinous rice flour
• 30g cup rice flour
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• 100g potato starch/ 150g steamed potato, mashed
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 80g sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp cooking oil
• 200ml water
• 120g white sesame seeds

Instructions

Make the filling:

• Wash the green beans then cook with 400ml warm water at medium heat (6/10) for 5 minutes with the lid on. Next remove the lid and scoop the foam out and cook for more 8 minutes until they are half cooked.

• Strain all the hot water from the beans and reduce the heat to medium- low (4/10)  and cook for 5 more minutes with the lid on till they are fully cooked and soft. Note: You can also cook the washed green beans with 350ml water in the rice cooker for 20 minutes
• In another pan, add oil then green beans, sugar, and shredded coconut in, while constantly stirring, mash the mixture at medium heat for about 5 minutes until all ingredients are well combined and smooth.
• Add the vanilla extract in, mix well and put the green bean paste aside to cool down.
• Use a scoop to divide the bean paste and roll into 20 balls.

Make the dough

• In a large bowl, mix all dry ingredients including glutinous rice flour, rice flour, potato starch (or mashed potato), cornstarch, sugar and baking powder for 1 minute.  

• In a cup, mix water, oil, and vanilla. 

• Slowly pour the wet mixture in the dry one and mix for about 1 minute to make sure the dough is well combined but not sticking on your hands when touched. You can mix it with the hand mixer, the stand mixer or simply with your hands. 

• Place the dough on a clean counter, then roll the dough into a thick rope. Cut the rope into 20 equal pieces, roll each piece into a ball and flatten it to make a circle.

• Place the bean paste in the middle of the dough, turn the dough over on top of the filling and gently cover it by gathering the edges of the dough over the filling. Pull and press until the filling is completely covered. Roll the ball between palms to form a smooth and round ball. Continue with  the remainder of the dough. 

• Place sesame seeds in a bag, put the balls in the bag and roll them around to ensure that the sesame seeds cover all over the balls.

Fry the balls: 

• In a deep pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat until hot (about 330 Fahrenheit degrees). Gently place the sesame balls in the pot and deep fry until golden brown from 7 to 8 minutes. 

• Place the fried balls  on a plate lined with paper towels which absorb the oil around the balls. 

• The sesame balls are good to be served immediately to enjoy the crispy bite of the shells!