Zin Dou

''Jiandui'' or sesame balls are 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 after immediately being cooked. 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 of lotus paste, or alternatively, sweet black bean paste, or red bean paste.

Depending on the region and cultural area, ''jiandui'' are known as ''matuan'' () in North and Northwest China, ''mayuan'' () in Northeast China, and ''zhendai'' () in Hainan.

Origin

The origins of ''jian dui'' can be traced back to the Tang dynasty as a royal 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 since the An–Shi Rebellion, the ''jian dui'' was brought along and hence became part of southern Chinese cuisine.

Across Asia

East Asia

In Hong Kong, it is one of the most standard pastries. It can also be found in most Chinatown bakery shops overseas.

In Japan, it is known as . It is often sold at street fairs, in Chinese districts, and at various restaurants.

In Korea, it is called ''jungguksik chamkkaegyeongdan'' (, "Chinese-style sesame rice ball cake"), to avoid confusion with the Korean-style sesame rice ball cake (''chamkkae-gyeongdan'') with sesame coating. As the Chinese ''jian dui'' is first coated with sesame seeds then deep-fried, while the Korean ''gyeongdan'' is first boiled then coated with toasted sesame seeds, ''jian dui'' is also called ''twigin chamkkaegyeongdan'' (, "deep-fried sesame rice ball cake").

Southeast Asia

Cambodia

The pastry is called ''num kroch'' or ''nom kroch'' (, due to its shape resembling the fruit) in Khmer and was introduced in Cambodia by Chinese migrants.

Indonesia and Malaysia

In Indonesian cuisine, it is called ''onde-onde'' or ''kue moci'', filled with sweetened mung bean paste. People usually eat it as a snack. This pastry is also popular and widely available in Indo (Eurasian), Indonesian, and Vietnamese outlets in the Netherlands.

In 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''.

Philippines

In the Philippines, ''jian dui'' is called ''butsi'' (Spanish: ''buchi''). Due to hundreds of years of Chinese settlement in the Philippines, the integration of Chinese cuisine (particularly Cantonese and Fujian) 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 (like ''mache'', '' masi'', '' moche'', and ''palitaw'') can also be boiled or steamed, in addition to being deep fried.

Vietnam

In Vietnamese cuisine, two very similar dishes are called ''bánh cam'' (from southern Vietnam) and ''bánh rán'' (from northern Vietnam), both of which have a somewhat drier filling that is made from sweetened mung bean paste. ''Bánh rán'' is scented with jasmine flower essence (called ''mali'' in Thai).photo
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''Bánh rán'' can be sweet or savory. Its typically made with red bean. 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.

Outside Asia

Mauritius

In Mauritius, ''jian dui'' is called ''jien-yan-e'' () by the local Chinese community of Mauritius, but it is more commonly known as ''gato zinzli'' (also written as ''gato zingli'' or ''gato zinli'') in creole. It can literally be translated as "sesame cake". It is one of the Mauritian snacks which was influenced by the presence of Sino-Mauritians on the island. The ''gato zinzli'' originated from China and was introduced in Mauritius by the Chinese migrants from Guangzhou and Guangdong in the 18th or 19th century. It is deep fried until it is slightly chewy and crispy outside before being coated with sesame seeds; it is made of sweet potato, glutinous rice, and sometimes, with red bean paste. They are typically eaten as snacks; but they are especially eaten during Chinese New Year as a traditional snack by Sino-Mauritians. The ''gato zinzli'' are also shared to family members and acquaintances on Chinese New Year by Sino-Mauritians as part of their customary tradition in order to accentuate the sharing and spirit of friendship.

United States

In American Chinese restaurants and pastry shops, it is known as sesame seed ball.

Gallery

File:Jiandui with Black & White Sesame.jpg, Chinese ''jian dui'' with black and white sesame
File:Jiandui with Fillings and Black & White Sesame.jpg, Chinese ''jian dui'' with fillings and black and white sesame
File:Jin deui.JPG, ''Jian dui'' can be fried to great sizes. The common misspelling can be seen on the sign in the photo.
File:Onde-onde isi kacang.JPG
File:Sesame balloons (2).jpg
File:Indonesia onde-onde.jpg, ''Onde-onde'' from Surabaya, Indonesia. The yellow ones were made from white glutinous rice flour while the black ones from black glutinous rice flour.
File:07212jfPulilan Market foods kakanin landmarksfvf 25.jpg, '' Moche'' from the Philippines, a boiled ''buchi'' variant with bean paste filling served with sweetened coconut milk sauce
File:HK 旺角 Mong kok 朗豪坊 Langham Place 香港康得思酒店 Cordis Hotel buffet food November 2018 SSG Red bean sugar soup n sesame ball.jpg, ''Jian dui'' with '' hong dou tang''

See also

* ''Bánh rán''
* Benne ball
* Chapssal doughnut
* ''Dango''
* '' Danja''
* Dim sum
* ''Gyeongdan''
* List of sesame seed dishes

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Jian Dui
Cantonese desserts
Chinese bakery products
Deep fried foods
Dim sum
Glutinous rice dishes
Hong Kong cuisine
Mauritian cuisine
Tang dynasty
Sesame desserts