Sesame balls with mung bean filling (banh cam)

Instructions

1. Step 1

   Rinse 150 g split peeled mung beans and soak them in warm water for about two hours, then steam them until very soft. Well-soaked, thoroughly steamed beans make a filling as smooth as powder. The beans are ready when they crumble under the tip of a chopstick with no hard core.

   Suggested time: about 120 minutes.

   Mark step 1 as done

2. Step 2

   Blend or mash the beans until very smooth, put them in a nonstick pan with 70 g granulated sugar, 10 g vegetable oil and a pinch of salt, and stir over low heat for about ten minutes. Cooking the paste until dry helps it hold its shape and keeps it from making the dough soggy during frying. The filling is ready when it gathers into a smooth mass that doesn't stick to the pan; let it cool, then roll it into sixteen balls.

   Suggested time: about 10 minutes. Low heat.

   Mark step 2 as done

3. Step 3

   Peel the potatoes, steam them for about 20 minutes until tender, then mash them very smoothly while still hot and weigh out 100 g mashed potato. Potato makes the shell soft and puffy and helps it stay crisp longer. The potato is ready when it is as smooth as cream with no small lumps.

   Suggested time: about 20 minutes.

   Mark step 3 as done

4. Step 4

   Mix 250 g glutinous rice flour, 50 g rice flour, 60 g granulated sugar, 4 g baking powder and a pinch of salt, add the mashed potato, then gradually pour in 170 g warm water while kneading. The rice flour makes the shell crisp, while the baking powder creates the light, hollow space inside each ball. The dough is ready when it is soft, smooth, pliable like modeling clay and doesn't stick to your hands.

   Mark step 4 as done

5. Step 5

   Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let it rest for about 30 minutes at room temperature. The rest gently activates the baking powder and lets the water spread evenly. The dough is ready when the surface is smooth and it feels soft and springy when pressed lightly.

   Suggested time: about 30 minutes.

   Mark step 5 as done

6. Step 6

   Divide the dough into sixteen pieces, press each one thin into a cup shape, place a ball of filling inside, then close the opening and roll it into a tightly sealed ball. An evenly thick shell lets the balls puff up round without cracking. They are ready when they are smooth and round with no gaps and slightly larger than a quail egg.

   Mark step 6 as done

7. Step 7

   Quickly dip each ball in a bowl of water, roll it in 60 g white sesame seeds, then roll it firmly between your palms again. Rolling it again presses the sesame on so it doesn't fall off in the hot oil. The balls are ready when the sesame covers the surface in an even layer.

   Mark step 7 as done

8. Step 8

   Heat the oil for deep-frying (to taste) to about 130 degrees Celsius, add the balls and fry over low heat for about ten minutes, gently pressing and rolling them constantly with a ladle. The warm oil and the pressing and rolling make the balls puff up gradually from the inside out. They are ready when they have nearly doubled in size and float to the surface.

   Suggested time: about 10 minutes. Low heat.

   Mark step 8 as done

9. Step 9

   Raise the heat to medium so the oil reaches about 160 degrees Celsius and fry for a few minutes more, still turning them so they turn golden on every side. The higher heat at the end makes the shell hard and crisp and sets the round shape. They are done when the shell is a deep golden orange and feels hard and crisp when tapped.

   Medium heat.

   Mark step 9 as done

10. Step 10

    Lift the balls into a colander or onto a rack lined with paper towels and let them cool for about five minutes. Draining keeps the shell from going soft from pooled oil. They are ready when the surface is dry and they still feel plump, round and crisp when you pick them up.

    Mark step 10 as done