Black Sesame Tangyuan Filling
A rich, traditional Chinese filling for glutinous rice balls featuring fragrant black sesame, crunchy peanuts, and sweet candied fruits bound together with silky lard. This classic filling creates perfectly sweet and aromatic tangyuan for Lantern Festival or any time you crave these beloved dumplings.
Story
This traditional black sesame filling is the heart of classic tangyuan. The combination of aromatic roasted sesame, buttery peanuts, and sweet candied fruits creates a complex sweetness that balances perfectly with the soft, chewy glutinous rice exterior. Fresh lard is traditional and provides the best texture, but coconut oil works well as a modern substitute.
Ingredients
Roasted black sesame seeds
150g
Roasted peanuts
110g
Candied orange peel
150g (about 3 pieces)
Candied winter melon
50g
Rock sugar
30g
White sugar
150g
Lard or coconut oil
150-180g
Instructions
1
Grind the black sesame
Add the roasted black sesame seeds to a food processor. Pulse in short bursts until you have a fine, fragrant powder. Be careful not to over-process or you'll end up with sesame butter. Set aside in a large bowl.
2
Grind the peanuts and candied fruits
Blend the roasted peanuts until roughly chopped, then add the candied orange peel, winter melon, and rock sugar. Process until everything is broken down into small pieces. Transfer to the bowl with the sesame powder.
3
Melt the fat
Place the lard in a clean, dry food processor or pot. Heat gently until melted and slightly softened. If using a thermomix or similar, blend at 80°C for about 10 minutes until fully liquid.
4
Combine and mix
Add the melted lard to your bowl of ground ingredients. Sprinkle in the white sugar. Mix thoroughly until everything comes together into a cohesive, slightly oily mixture. The filling should hold together when pressed.
5
Rest and portion
Let the filling cool slightly, then divide into small portions (about 15-20g each). Roll into balls. Use immediately or refrigerate until ready to fill your tangyuan dough.
