Sweets and drinksFried CakesVietnamabout 60 minutes, including 20 minutes resting the dough
The charm of banh nhan is the white crystalline coating clinging to each little ball. The difficulty is the frying, since high heat browns the outside while the inside stays chewy rather than crisp all the way through.
Low heat and a long, patient fry give a dense interior. The balls must be completely cool before the coating goes on, because a warm one turns soft. The dough rests for 20 minutes and gets one more knead before rolling.
This batch weighs about 479g, at roughly 274 calories per 100g. Once coated, store them in a sealed jar.
Method
Put 150g dry glutinous rice flour, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon kOBE Monk Fruit Blend and 2 chicken egg yolks in a bowl and mix.
Add 80 to 100ml coconut milk gradually and knead until the dough is pliable and no longer sticks to your hands. Cover with cling film and rest for 20 minutes.
Knead the dough once more, then roll it into small balls the size of a longan, or roll it into a long rope and cut it into pieces.
Pour 500ml cooking oil into a large pan. Once it is hot, add the balls one at a time and fry over low heat until they float evenly and turn golden, then lift them onto paper towels.
Put 90g kOBE Monk Fruit Blend, 30ml diluted salt water and just enough water in a nonstick pan and boil for 3 to 5 minutes until everything dissolves.
Once the syrup thickens, add the fried balls and cook, turning, until a white crystalline coating forms all over them and the pan is dry, then turn off the heat.
Tips
Low heat and a thorough fry give a dense center that stays crisp all the way through rather than chewy.
Wait until the balls are completely cool before coating them, or they turn soft.
A full 20 minute rest and a second knead give round balls that do not crack.
Roll them evenly to the size of a longan so the whole batch cooks at the same rate.
The syrup has to be thick enough to pull a fine thread for the coating to cling, since a thin one never sets.
Need kOBE Monk Fruit Blend?
The recipe above is sweetened with kOBE Monk Fruit Blend, measured 1:1 like sugar. See the product page or send us a message.