Desserts Recipes - Sweet Rice Dumplings Recipe

Ingredients

For the syrup:

• 25g/1oz fresh root ginger, peeled and finely shredded

• 115g/4oz/generous 1/2 cup sugar

For the filling:

• 40g/1 1/2oz dried split mung beans, soaked for 6 hours and drained

• 25g/1oz/2 tbsp sugar

For the dough:

• 225g/8oz/2 cups sticky glutinous rice flour

• 175ml/3/4 cup boiling water

Serves 4-6

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Method:

1. To make the syrup, stir the ginger and sugar in a heavy pan over a low heat, until the sugar begins to brown. Take the pan off the heat and stir in 400ml/14fl oz water - it will bubble and spit. Return the pan to the heat and bring to the boil, stirring. Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

2. To make the filling, put the soaked mung beans in a pan with the sugar and add the water to cover. Bring to the boil, stirring all the time, until the sugar has dissolved. Simmer for 15-20 minutes until the mung beans are soft. When all the water has been absorbed, pound to a smooth paste and leave until cool. Roll the filling into 16-20 small balls.

3. To make the dough, put the flour in a bowl. Make a well in the centre and gradually pour in the water, drawing in the flour to form a dough. When cool enough to handle, knead the dough for a few minutes, until soft, smooth and springy.

4. Divide the dough in half and roll each half into a sausage, about 25cm/10in long. Divide each sausage into 8-10 pieces, and roll each piece into a ball.

5. Take a ball of dough and flatten it in the palm of your hand. Place a ball of the mung bean filling in the centre of the dough and seal it by pinching and rolling the dough. Repeat with the remaining balls.

6. Cook the filled dumplings in a pan of boiling water for 2-3 minutes, until they rise to the surface. Heat the syrup in a heavy pan, drop in the cooked dumplings, and simmer for a further 2-3 minutes. Serve at room temperature, or chilled.

Note: These rice dumplings are filled with mung bean paste and then simmered in a ginger-infused syrup.