Jin Deui
煎堆·(jin deui)
Chapter 3: The Pan-Fried, Deep-Fried & Crispy
Seal the sweet paste inside glutinous rice dough. Roll the heavy sphere through white sesame seeds. Watch a dense puck of dough swell into a hollow, golden globe in a wok of 325-degree oil. To replicate the airy, shattering perfection of a Sunday at Yank Sing, approach this as a meticulous engineering project. Abandon the lazy shortcuts that treat Jin Deui like Western donuts, yielding dense, chewy lumps of regret. It requires the chemical jolt of boiling sugar water to gelatinize the starch, the structural integrity of wheat starch to hold the shape, and a firm, methodical pressing of the dough while it fries to force the internal expansion. The bamboo spider lifts them out, hollow and golden, tapping lightly against the wire cooling rack.
Before you start
Portion and chill the red bean paste ahead of time.
Divide the sweet red bean paste into 15 equal spheres (about 12 grams each). Refrigerate them for at least an hour; a cold, firm filling prevents messy smearing and blowouts during wrapping.
Ingredients
- sweet red bean paste180 g
- water milled glutinous rice flour200 g
- wheat starch30 g
- baking powder1/2 tsp
- fine granulated sugar80 g
- water150 ml
- lard or neutral oil1 tbsp
- raw white sesame seeds100 g
- neutral frying oil1 1/2 l
Method
- 01
Whisk the dry ingredients together.
In a large, heat-proof bowl, thoroughly whisk together the glutinous rice flour, wheat starch, and baking powder.
- 02
Boil the sugar water and gelatinize the starches.
In a small saucepan, bring the water and sugar to a rapid, rolling boil, ensuring the sugar is completely dissolved. Immediately pour the actively boiling syrup directly into the flour mixture in a steady stream, vigorously stirring with chopsticks or a spatula.
- 03
Knead the dough and rest to equalize hydration.
Once cool enough to handle, add the lard or oil and knead by hand in the bowl for 5 minutes until it feels like smooth playdough. Wrap tightly in plastic and rest at room temperature for a mandatory 30 minutes to prevent blow-outs in the fryer.
- 04
Encase the chilled filling tightly within the dough.
Divide the rested dough into 15 equal pieces, keeping them covered with a damp towel. Form a piece into a shallow cup, place a chilled ball of red bean paste inside, and pinch it shut tightly so absolutely no air is trapped, then roll seamlessly between your palms.
- 05
Dampen the dough and embed the sesame seeds.
Briefly dampen a dough ball with wet fingers, roll it thoroughly in the raw sesame seeds, then firmly roll the coated ball between your palms to embed the seeds deep into the sticky dough.
- 06
Poach the sesame balls in low-temperature oil.
Heat the neutral oil in a deep wok or Dutch oven to a gentle 250°F (120°C). Carefully lower 4 to 5 balls into the oil, nudging them gently with a bamboo spider so they do not stick, until they float to the surface after 3 to 4 minutes.
- 07
Execute the rhythmic press to inflate the dough.
Increase the heat to maintain 300°F (150°C). Using the back of a metal skimmer, gently press down on each floating ball to submerge it against the side of the wok; as it bobs up, roll it over and press again, repeating this for 5 to 7 minutes as the internal steam forces the dough to inflate into a massive, hollow sphere.
- 08
Flash-fry at high heat to set the crisp, greaseless crust.
When the balls reach maximum size and turn pale gold, crank the heat to bring the oil to 350°F (180°C) for a final 60 to 90 seconds, thoroughly toasting the seeds, then remove to a wire rack to cool.
Notes
Pacing your dim sum service.
Dim sum is defined by its continuous rhythm. Serve steamed items like har gow first to cleanse the palate, move to savory pan-fried potstickers, and drop your Jin Deui into the oil as the meal winds down—their dramatic expansion is excellent kitchen theater, and they are best served piping hot.
From Cook Dim Sum at Home.