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Chapter 468: Fried Sesame Balls

Gu Zi brought over the household’s kettles. Handing them to Su Jing, she began to pour hot water into the sugar. The quantity they were making today was large, so the need for hot water was substantial. Soon, both kettles were emptied.

Gu Zi quickly lit another stove to heat more water. Simultaneously, she shared with Su Jing the art of making sesame balls. This was a dish every household could make; the key was not the recipe but the technique.

“The first point I’ve already mentioned,” she said. “The second thing to remember is to press the sesame seeds onto the balls after they are coated. This ensures the seeds adhere firmly to the dough, preventing them from falling off during frying. The finished product, covered entirely in white sesame seeds, is more appealing this way.

“The third point is to drop the dough into the oil at a low temperature. This prevents the balls from bursting suddenly. Also, remember to shape the dough again before frying. If it’s dropped directly into the pot, the part touching the bottom will burn, resulting in uneven coloration and affecting the aesthetic appeal.

“Lastly, don’t rush after the dough is in the pot. Maintain a low flame and wait for the dough to slowly rise. Gently stir it with a spoon to ensure even heat distribution. This process takes about ten minutes. When the dough has expanded to twice its original size, you can increase the heat to set its shape. Keep these points in mind; you’ll try the first batch.”

Today’s task of frying sesame balls was a big one, promising a busy morning. With two of them, they could alternate shifts, making the work easier. Gu Zi would fry one batch, and Su Jing the next. This way, they wouldn’t have to work continuously, which could be quite exhausting.

Su Jing nodded, following Gu Zi’s guidance, she mixed baking powder into the glutinous rice flour in equal proportions. Together, they stirred the flour into a smooth mixture using hot sugar water, finally kneading it into two large balls of glutinous rice dough.

Gu Zi brought two bowls, one filled halfway with water, the other with white sesame seeds.

Su Jing began to portion out the dough, and once she had made twenty sesame balls, she started to dip each one into the water, then rolled them in the sesame seeds. After all twenty balls were coated in sesame and left to dry for a while, they were ready to be fried.

Following Gu Zi’s instructions, Su Jing’s first batch of sesame balls turned out perfectly round and plump, golden and crispy. Su Jing felt a great sense of accomplishment.

Gu Zi picked up one, pressed it down and tore it open. The outer skin was crispy, the inner layer soft and chewy, and the center was perfectly hollow. She put a piece in her mouth, the aroma of sesame and oil instantly spread in her mouth, satisfying her with just one bite. “If these were made bigger, they could be used as play balls.”

After Gu Zi finished eating, she allowed Su Jing to eat some to fill her stomach, then Gu Zi took over the frying of the sesame balls.

The sesame balls she fried were even more beautiful than the ones Su Jing made. Su Jing found it amazing, “Sister-in-law, even though we followed the same steps, why are yours more beautiful?”

Gu Zi smiled brightly, the fatigue from the early morning already gone, “It’s probably because practice makes perfect. Since I’ve done it more, it’s naturally smoother.” The two women worked together, and by four o’clock, more than two hundred sesame balls were ready.

Gu Zi took three sesame balls to the front door and placed them there, then lit three sticks of incense to honor the gods, a ritual known as “fasting the heavens.”

As for the remaining sesame balls, they were all packed up to be taken to the ancestral hall along with cookies and candies. A small portion was used to worship the ancestors along with three types of meat and three types of vegetables.

The rest of the food was placed on the table in the ancestral hall for blessings. During the worship, those who came to worship could take and eat it, known as “surplus blessings.” It was said that eating it could bring good luck, but in reality, it was to attract more villagers to worship, ensuring the prosperity of the ancestral hall. With more people, the place would naturally thrive.

Although there were three villages, they all shared the same customs. Even though many of them were immigrants and did not have the surname Su, the ancestral hall was always presided over by the most influential family in the village, which was now the Su family. In order to befriend this influential family, people would actively come to worship.

By five o’clock, Gu Zi and Su Jing had almost finished packing everything. At this time, Su Bing and Su Li also got up, washed up and came downstairs. They took over the final packing work, freeing up the two adults to go to the kitchen to prepare the three meats and three vegetables.