Jiandui (Chinese: 煎䭔; pinyin: jiānduī; Cantonese Yale: jīndēui; literally “fried dumpling”, common misspelling 煎堆) is a type of fried Chinese pastry made from glutinous rice flour. The pastry is coated with sesame seeds on the outside and is crisp and chewy. Inside the pastry is a large hollow, caused by the expansion of the dough. The hollow of the pastry is filled with a filling usually consisting of lotus paste, or alternatively sweet black bean paste, or red bean paste. They are also sometimes referred to as sesame balls (Chinese: 芝麻球; pinyin: zhīmáqíu; Cantonese Yale: jīmàkàu).
Depending on the region and cultural area, jian dui is known as matuan (麻糰) in northern China, ma yuan (麻圆) in northeast China, and zhen dai (珍袋) in Hainan.
The origins of jian dui can be traced back to the Tang dynasty as a palace food in Changan, known as lüdui (碌䭔). This food item was also recalled in a poem by the Tang poet Wang Fanzhi. With the southward migration of many peoples from central China, the jian dui was brought along and hence became part of southern Chinese cuisine.
Southeast Asia
Cambodian num kroch (នំ ក្រូច) is said to have originated in China where it is called jian dui or sometimes maqiu. The Chinese probably exported it as they migrated to other parts of Asia. They have a different name based on their origin, in Khmer it is num kroch (or nom kroch), which means cake (num) orange (kroch) because its shape is reminiscent of the fruit. The stuffing of num kroch is made of mung beans. The envelope of the num kroch is composed of glutinous rice flour, which gives it this slightly elastic texture. Like most Asian desserts, num kroch are not very sweet. Mung bean paste should not be too dry either.
In Indonesian cuisine, it is called onde-onde or kue moci, filled with sweetened mung bean paste. People usually eat it as snack. This pastry is also popular and widely available in Indo (Eurasian), Indonesian and Vietnamese outlets in the Netherlands.
It is known as kuih bom, which is usually filled with shredded sweetened coconut, or nuts. Occasionally, it may be filled with red bean paste.
Among the mainly Hakka-speaking ethnic Chinese in the state of Sabah, jian dui is more commonly known as you chi.
In the Philippines, jian dui is called butsi (Spanish: buchi). Due to hundreds of years of Chinese settlement in the Philippines, the integration of Chinese cuisine (particularly Cantonese and Fujian) to local dishes has made buchi quite popular. To an extent, it has already been considered an icon of Chinese Filipino culinary tradition, sometimes associated with auspiciousness. As it is well known among ethnic Chinese and other Filipinos alike, local restaurants which are sometimes not even Chinese and fastfood chains such as Chowking have added the delicacy to the menu. Aside from the usual lotus and red bean paste, non-Chinese and indigenous ingredients have also been used for variety such as ube-flavored butsi. Unlike jian dui, Filipino buchi and derivates (like mache, masi, moche, and palitaw) can also be boiled or steamed in addition to being deep fried.
In Vietnam, two very similar dishes are called bánh cam (from southern Vietnam) and bánh rán (from northern Vietnam), both of which have a somewhat drier filling that is made from sweetened mung bean paste. Bánh rán is scented with jasmine flower essence (called mali in Thai).photo
Bánh rán can be sweet or savory. The sweet one is filled with mung bean. The savory one is filled with chopped meat, cassava vermicelli, mushroom, and a variety of other typically Vietnamese ingredients. It is usually served with vegetable and dipping sauce.
South Asia
In Tamil Nadu and northeast Sri Lanka, it is known as ellu urundai or ellurundai (எள்ளுருண்டை), the local word meaning sesame ball. In Sinhalese it is called Thuri Guli (තල ගුලි), which translates as sesame ball. It is made in different sizes and colors. It is usually filled with sesame seeds, jaggery, sugar, or glucose syrup.
Fried sesame balls – Jian Dui
FAQ
What is the history of Jian Dui?
What is Jian Dui in Cantonese?
What does Jian Dui symbolize?
Where did the buchi come from?
Where did jian dui come from?
The origins of jian dui can be traced back to the Tang dynasty as a royal food in Chang’an, known as lüdui ( 碌䭔 ). This food item was also recalled in a poem by the Tang poet Wang Fanzhi.
What is a jian dui?
Those sesame balls are usually filled with sweet red bean paste or black sesame paste and deep-fried until golden crisp. They are coated with toasted sesame seeds on the outside, giving them a nutty flavor. It has several other names, like Jian Dui, Jin Dui, Ma Tuan or Ma Yuan. It can be served as a snack or breakfast.
How to make jian dui?
You can make them plain and hollow without any filling or you can make filled sesame balls by adding your favorite ingredient like, sesame balls with red bean paste or sesame balls with lotus paste. Jian dui’s are often times filled and coated with sesame seeds – 芝麻球.
What are jian dui balls?
Jian dui’s are also known as Chinese sesame balls or sesame seed balls. They’re crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside. You can make them plain and hollow without any filling or you can make filled sesame balls by adding your favorite ingredient like, sesame balls with red bean paste or sesame balls with lotus paste.