Jian dui is a type of fried Chinese pastry made from glutinous rice flour. The pastry is coated with sesame seeds on the outside and is crisp and chewy. Inside the pastry is a large hollow, caused by the expansion of the dough. The hollow of the pastry is filled with a filling usually consisting oflotus paste, or alternatively sweet black bean paste, or red bean paste. They are also sometimes referred to as sesame balls. Depending on the region and cultural area, jian dui is known as matuan in northern China, ma yuan in northeast China, and zhen dai in Hainan. In the United States, it is known as sesame seed ball.
Origin
The origins of jian dui can be traced back to the Tang dynasty as a palace food in Chang'an, known as lüdui. This food item was also recalled in a poem by the Tang poet Wang Fanzhi. With the southward migration of many peoples from central China, the jian dui was brought along and hence became part of southern Chinese cuisine.
In Hong Kong, it is one of the most standard pastries. It can also be found in most Chinatown bakery shops overseas.
Cambodia
Cambodian num kroch is said to have originated in China where it is called jian dui or sometimes maqiu. The Chinese probably exported it as they migrated to other parts of Asia. They have a different name based on their origin, in Khmer it is num kroch, which means cake orange because its shape is reminiscent of the fruit. The stuffing of num kroch is made of mung beans. The envelope of the num kroch is composed of glutinous rice flour, which gives it this slightly elastic texture. Like most Asian desserts, num kroch are not very sweet. Mung bean paste should not be too dry either.
In Tamil Nadu and northeast Sri Lanka, it is known as ellu urundai or ellurundai, the local word meaning sesame ball. It is made in different sizes and colors. It is usually filled with sesame seeds, jaggery, sugar, or glucose syrup.
Indonesia
In Indonesian cuisine, it is called onde-onde, filled with sweetened mung bean paste. People usually eat it as snack. This pastry is also popular and widely available in Indo, Indonesian and Vietnamese outlets in the Netherlands.
Japan
In Japan, it is known as. It is often sold at street fairs, in Chinese districts, and at various restaurants.
Korea
In Korea, it is called chamkkaegyeongdan, or jungguksik chamkkaegyeongdan to avoid confusion with Korean-style sesame rice ball cake with sesame coating. As the Chinese jian dui is first coated with sesame seeds then deep-fried, while the Korean gyeongdan is first steamed then coated with toasted sesame seeds, jian dui is also called twigin chamkkaegyeongdan.
Malaysia
It is known as kuih bom, which is usually filled with shredded sweetened coconut, or nuts. Occasionally, it may be filled with red bean paste. Among the mainly Hakka-speaking ethnic Chinese in the state of Sabah, jian dui is more commonly known as you chi.
In the Philippines, jian dui is called butsi. Due to hundreds of years of Chinese settlement in the Philippines, the integration of Chinese cuisine to local dishes has made buchi quite popular. To an extent, it has already been considered an icon of Chinese Filipino culinary tradition, sometimes associated with auspiciousness. As it is well-known among ethnic Chinese and other Filipinos alike, local restaurants which are sometimes not even Chinese and fastfood chains such as Chowking have added the delicacy to the menu. Aside from the usual lotus and red bean paste, non-Chinese and indigenous ingredients have also been used for variety such as ube-flavored butsi. Unlike jian dui, Filipino buchi and derivates can also be boiled or steamed in addition to being deep fried.
In Vietnam, two very similar dishes are called bánh cam and bánh rán, both of which have a somewhat drier filling that is made from sweetened mung bean paste. Bánh rán is scented with jasmineflower essence. Bánh rán can be sweet or savory. The sweet one is filled with mung bean. The savory one is filled with chopped meat, cassava vermicelli, mushroom, and a variety of other typically Vietnamese ingredients. It is usually served with vegetable and dipping sauce.
