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Aiwowo (艾窝窝, Beijing stuffed sticky rice balls)
Snow-white balls of steamed glutinous rice filled with sesame, walnut and osmanthus sugar
Aiwowo began as a Hui Muslim snack in Beijing and is now a fixture of old Beijing snack shops from Lunar New Year until summer, eaten cool as a mid-afternoon treat. Steamed glutinous rice is pounded until sticky, wrapped around a crunchy filling of toasted sesame, walnuts, sugar and sugared osmanthus, then rolled in cooked rice flour so the balls look like little snowballs. They are soft and chewy outside, crunchy and fragrant inside, and only lightly sweet. Serve them with jasmine or chrysanthemum tea. Aiwowo is naturally egg-free: pounding the steamed rice releases its sticky starch, which binds the dough and seals in the filling. Chef's tip: the common mistake is dusting with raw flour; steam the flour first, or the coating tastes chalky.
- Total time
- 300 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the dough
- 10 ½ oz glutinous ricesoaked 4 hours
- ¼ cup water
- 2 ⅛ oz glutinous rice flourfor dusting
For the filling
- 1 ⅜ oz white sesame seeds
- 1 ⅜ oz walnuts
- 2 ⅛ oz caster sugar
- 1 tbsp sugared osmanthus syrupalcohol-free
- 6 haw flakes (optional)chopped, to garnish
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Soak 10 ½ oz glutinous rice in cold water for 4 hours, then drain well.
240 minStep 2: Spread 2 ⅛ oz glutinous rice flour on a plate lined with parchment and steam for 15 minutes until it loses its raw smell. Cool and sift.
15 minStep 3: Line a steamer with damp cloth, spread the rice on it, sprinkle with ¼ cup water and steam for 30 minutes until the grains are completely soft and translucent.
30 minStep 4: Meanwhile toast 1 ⅜ oz white sesame seeds in a dry pan over a low heat for 3 minutes until golden. Toast 1 ⅜ oz walnuts for 4 minutes and chop finely.
7 minStep 5: Mix the sesame, walnuts, 2 ⅛ oz caster sugar and 1 tbsp sugared osmanthus syrup into a crumbly filling that clumps when pressed.
Step 6: Tip the hot rice into a bowl and pound it with a wet rolling pin for 5 minutes, until most grains break and it turns into a sticky dough.
5 minStep 7: With hands dusted in the cooked flour, divide the dough into 12 pieces. Flatten each, put 1 tsp filling in the middle and pinch it closed.
Step 8: Roll each ball in the cooked flour to coat. Top with a piece of 6 haw flakes if you like. Serve at room temperature the same day.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 290 kcal
- Protein
- 6 g
- Carbs
- 52 g
- Fat
- 7 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does aiwowo (艾窝窝, Beijing stuffed sticky rice balls) take?
- About 300 minutes in total: 260 minutes to prepare and 40 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of glutinous rice?
- Any long-grain rice, same amount.
- What can I use instead of white sesame seeds?
- Poppy seeds or finely chopped pumpkin seeds, same amount.
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