Sweet Date and Pine Nut Rice Balls
Pillowy glutinous rice balls with a silky texture, featuring a sweet date and nut filling. A beloved Chinese New Year treat that transitions beautifully to year-round enjoyment.
Story
These tender rice balls showcase a clever technique: using leftover rice porridge in the dough creates an impossibly soft and silky texture. The sweet date filling gets richness from pork fat and a satisfying crunch from toasted pine nuts.
Ingredients
dried red dates
200 grams
granulated sugar
50 grams
pine nuts
30 grams
pork lard or substitute
30 grams
glutinous rice flour
200 grams
rice porridge or congee
160 grams (about 2/3 cup)
Instructions
1
Make the date filling
Rinse the dried dates well. Snip each one open and pull out the pit. Drop the pitted dates into a food processor with the sugar and pulse until roughly chopped into small bits. Scrape into a bowl, then mix in the pine nuts and pork lard until everything is evenly distributed. The mixture should hold its shape when you press it together.
2
Prepare the dough
Warm the rice porridge slightly if it's been refrigerated. Pour it into a big mixing bowl. Add the glutinous rice flour gradually, stirring with chopsticks or a spatula as you go. Once the mixture gathers into a rough, shaggy dough, knead by hand for 3-4 minutes until smooth and pliable. If it feels too sticky, dust with a touch more flour.
3
Shape the balls
Divide the dough into 8-10 equal pieces. Flatten one piece in your palm, place a generous spoonful of the date filling in the center, then bring the edges up and pinch firmly to seal. Roll gently between your palms to form a smooth round ball. Lightly dust with flour to keep them from sticking.
4
Cook and serve
Bring a large pot of water to a vigorous boil. Carefully drop in the shaped rice balls, giving them a gentle stir so they don't stick to the bottom. Keep the water at a steady moderate boil and cook for 8-10 minutes. If the water starts to overflow, add about half a cup of cold water twice during cooking. The balls are ready when they float to the top and appear slightly translucent. Serve warm in the cooking broth or drained.
