Banh Troi Nuoc (Glutinous Rice Balls with Toasted Sesame)
Sweets and drinksSteamed CakesVietnam30 minutes to knead and rest the dough, about 10 minutes to boil
Banh troi nuoc with toasted sesame comes down to two things: a glutinous rice shell that is chewy without going soggy, and a filling that melts as you bite in. The soft shell wraps the filling, and a scatter of toasted sesame finishes it. The tricky part is the filling, because kOBE Monk Fruit Blend is a fine powder and has to be melted down and set again before it can be wrapped inside.
For the filling: cook the blend with a little water over low heat until it dissolves completely, pour it into a small ice tray or into spoon bowls, and let it cool fully so it sets into firm pieces before wrapping. A common mistake is wrapping while the filling is still warm, which makes the shell go slack and split during boiling.
This batch weighs about 438g, at roughly 255 calories per 100g.
Method
Put 45g of kOBE Monk Fruit Blend into a small pot with a little water, just enough to moisten the powder evenly.
Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the blend dissolves completely into a clear, slightly syrupy mixture.
Pour the mixture into a small ice tray or into individual teaspoon bowls, let it cool fully at room temperature, then chill it until it sets into firm pieces of filling.
Put 220 g of glutinous rice flour, 50 g of rice flour and half a teaspoon of salt into a bowl and mix well.
Pour in 100 ml of warm water slowly, mixing as you pour, and stop once the dough is evenly moist and holds together.
Knead until the dough is smooth and pliable, wrap it in cling film and rest it for 30 minutes.
Divide the dough into bite sized pieces, flatten each one, set a piece of the set filling in the middle, seal the edges tightly and roll into a ball.
Bring a pot of water to the boil, drop the balls in, and stir the bottom gently so they do not stick to each other.
As soon as they all float, lift them out and drop them into a bowl of cold water for about 5 minutes to cool and firm up.
Lift the balls onto a plate and scatter 20 g of toasted sesame seeds over the top.
Tips
The filling is made from the blend cooked until it dissolves, so it runs faster than a firm filling. Scoop the balls out the moment they float, since a long boil lets the filling leak into the water.
Making the filling half a day ahead and chilling it until the pieces are properly hard makes wrapping much easier on the hands.
Sealing the edges of the shell tightly so no air gets trapped inside is what keeps the balls from cracking open.
A few slices of ginger and a splash of vinegar in the boiling water keep the shells soft rather than firm.
Small balls work better than large ones, since the shell and the filling then cook through at the same time.
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.