San Da Pao (Three Cannon Shots)

Ingredients

• 300g glutinous rice
• 100g roasted soybean flour
• 150g dark brown sugar
• 200ml water
• 2 slices ginger
• 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
• 1 tbsp caster sugar
• 1 tsp neutral oil, for your hands

Before you cook

• Rinse the glutinous rice until the water runs almost clear.
• Soak the rice in plenty of cold water for at least 4 hours, then drain it well.
• Line a steamer basket with a damp cloth.
• Mix the roasted soybean flour with the caster sugar and toasted sesame seeds and spread it over a wide plate.

Steps

1. Spread the drained rice over the lined steamer and make a few holes in it with a chopstick.
2. Steam the rice over rapidly boiling water for 35 minutes, until every grain is translucent and tender.
3. Sprinkle 3 tablespoons of hot water over the rice halfway through and fluff it once with a fork.
4. Tip the hot rice into a sturdy bowl or a mortar.
5. Pound the rice with a wet wooden pestle or the end of a rolling pin for about 10 minutes.
6. Keep pounding until no whole grains remain and the mass is smooth, sticky and elastic.
7. Put the brown sugar, water and ginger slices in a small pan.
8. Simmer for 8 minutes until the syrup coats the back of a spoon, then fish out the ginger.
9. Oil your hands lightly and pull off a walnut-sized piece of the hot rice dough.
10. Roll it quickly into a ball between your palms.
11. Throw the ball hard onto the plate of soybean flour so it flattens slightly and picks up a coating.
12. Repeat until you have twelve balls, three for each person.
13. Roll each ball again in the flour until it is completely covered.
14. Arrange three balls in each bowl.
15. Pour the warm brown sugar syrup over them and serve while they are still warm and chewy.