Cherry & Dennis Helper Habitat
Ningbo Black Sesame Lard Tangyuan
寧波黑芝麻豬油湯圓
Recipe overview
A soft water-milled rice-flour skin encloses black sesame, sugar and lard. Simmer gently until the sweet Ningbo dumplings float and cook through.
01
Ingredients
Main ingredients
- 250 g water-milled glutinous rice flour
- about 190 ml, adjust to flour warm water
- 100 g, toasted black sesame seeds
- 80 g white sugar
- 70 g, softened lard
- about 2 litres water for boiling
sesame filling seasoning
- a pinch for sesame filling salt
02
Tools
- frying pan
- food processor
- mixing bowl
- scale
- saucepan
- slotted spoon
- measuring cup
03
Steps
Step 1
Check sesame
Use toasted black sesame and remove any grit
Step 2
Grind sesame
Process sesame finely without turning it to paste
Step 3
Mix dark filling
Combine sesame, sugar, softened lard and a pinch of salt
Step 4
Portion filling
Roll filling into 20 balls and chill 10 minutes
Step 5
Make rice dough
Add warm water gradually to flour and knead to a soft, non-sticky dough
Step 6
Portion dough
Roll into a log, cut into 20 pieces and cover against drying
Step 7
Wrap first ball
Press one dough piece into a cup and place one filling ball inside
Step 8
Seal and roll
Pinch seam closed, roll round and repeat for all pieces
Step 9
Heat water
Bring about 2 litres water to a boil, reduce to medium
Step 10
Add tangyuan
Lower balls in one by one and gently move them off pot base
Step 11
Simmer until floating
After they float, simmer another 2 to 3 minutes until skin cooks through
Step 12
Serve with water
Divide into four bowls with a little cooking water and cool slightly before eating
Common mistakes
- Grinding sesame into oily paste
- Dough too wet or dried out
- Poorly sealed seams leak
- Vigorous boiling splits dumplings
Tips
Lard defines traditional black-sesame filling; the hot centre can burn, so cool slightly. Sticky rice dumplings require careful chewing.
