Deep-fried sesame balls with sweet red bean paste — crispy and golden. This Hunan recipe brings the bold flavors of Xiangjiang cuisine to your kitchen — perfect for both beginners and experienced cooks looking to explore the rich culinary traditions of Hunan province.
Hunan's street food culture is legendary, and Changsha Sesame Balls (长沙麻球) is a beloved snack found throughout the province. From morning markets to night stalls, these snacks represent the everyday face of Hunan cuisine — accessible, affordable, and utterly delicious. The Xiangjiang region has its own distinctive style.
In Changsha Sesame Balls, the wok must be smoking hot so the ingredients sear instantly, locking in moisture while developing the smoky wok hei (breath of the wok) that defines Hunan stir-fry. Like all Hunan dishes, it relies on the bold interplay of chili heat, fermented depth, and the natural savoriness of fresh ingredients. In Hunan, this dish is more than sustenance — it is a reflection of the region's love for bold, unapologetic flavor.
Ingredients
Changsha Sesame Balls (长沙麻球), known locally as má qiú or ma tuan (麻圆), are a beloved dim sum staple in Hunan's capital, often served at morning tea houses (早茶) and traditional restaurants along the Xiang River. While sesame-coated fried rice balls exist across China, the Changsha version is distinguished by its notably crisp, almost paper-thin shell achieved through the Hunan technique of double-frying at two different temperatures. The dish reflects Hunan's love of bold contrasts — a shattering crispy exterior giving way to a soft, sweet bean paste center — and is a fixture at celebratory banquets and casual street-side tea gatherings alike.
- 250 g glutinous rice flour (mochi flour)
- 30 g wheat starch
- 60 g granulated sugar
- 180 ml warm water (about 40°C)
- 1 tablespoon vegetable shortening
- 200 g sweetened red bean paste (homemade or store-bought)
- 100 g white sesame seeds (raw, unhulled)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 500 ml neutral oil (peanut or canola) for deep-frying
- Pinch of salt
Step-by-Step Visual Guide
Preparation
Building Flavor
Cooking & Finishing
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Prepare the dough In a large mixing bowl, combine the glutinous rice flour, wheat starch, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Slowly pour in the warm water while stirring with chopsticks until a shaggy dough forms. Add the vegetable shortening and knead vigorously for 8-10 minutes until the dough becomes smooth, elastic, and no longer sticks to your hands. Cover with a damp cloth and let rest for 30 minutes — this relaxes the gluten and makes shaping easier.
- Shape and fill the sesame balls Divide the rested dough into 12 equal portions (about 35 g each) and roll each into a smooth ball. Lightly dust your hands with glutinous rice flour. Flatten each dough ball into a 7-8 cm disc about 5 mm thick. Place a heaping tablespoon (around 16-18 g) of chilled red bean paste in the center, then gather the edges up and pinch firmly to seal completely — no air pockets or filling should be visible. Roll again into a smooth ball with no cracks.
- Coat with sesame seeds Lightly moisten each ball by rolling it between damp palms or dipping briefly in a bowl of water — do not soak. Place the white sesame seeds in a shallow plate. Press each moistened ball into the sesame seeds and roll gently to coat the entire surface evenly, pressing lightly so the seeds adhere firmly. Let the coated balls rest uncovered for 10 minutes so the surface dries slightly, which prevents the seeds from falling off during frying.
- First fry at low temperature Heat the oil in a wok or deep pot to about 150°C (300°F). Carefully lower 3-4 sesame balls into the oil using a slotted spoon. They will sink initially — this is normal. Fry for 4-5 minutes, gently pressing and rotating them with the back of the spoon to encourage even heating. They should expand slowly and turn light golden but remain pale at this stage. Remove and drain on paper towels. Rest them for 3 minutes.
- Second fry for crispness and puff Increase the oil temperature to 180°C (350°F). Return the rested balls to the hot oil in batches. Using a spider skimmer or slotted spoon, gently press each ball down into the oil repeatedly as it puffs up — this encourages the characteristic hollow, airy interior. Fry for another 4-5 minutes until deep golden brown, beautifully puffed (they will grow to nearly double in size), and crisp on the outside.
- Serve immediately Remove the ma tuan with a slotted spoon and drain briefly on paper towels to absorb excess oil. Changsha Sesame Balls are best enjoyed hot and fresh when the shell is shatteringly crisp and the red bean paste inside is warm, soft, and yielding. Serve as a snack with Chinese tea or as part of a dim sum-style spread.
- The double-fry method is non-negotiable: the first low-temperature fry cooks the dough through and creates an initial crust, while the second high-temperature fry rapidly puffs the ball and crisps the shell — skipping this yields dense, greasy results.
- Seal the red bean paste filling meticulously — any crack or thin spot will cause the ball to burst open in the hot oil, releasing the filling and creating dangerous oil splatter.
- Wet the balls only lightly before applying sesame seeds; too much water makes the seeds fall off in the oil, while too dry a surface means they won't adhere. The seeds should look pressed into the dough, not just sprinkled on top.
- Maintain oil temperature carefully — if the oil is too cool, the balls absorb excess oil and become greasy; if too hot, the outside browns before the interior is cooked and the balls may burst. Use a thermometer for consistency.
Variations
Changsha Sesame Balls can be adapted in many ways. Here are some popular variations to try.
Lotus Seed Paste Filling (莲蓉麻球)
Replace the red bean paste with sweetened lotus seed paste for a more fragrant, less granular filling. Lotus paste is traditional in Cantonese dim sum and pairs beautifully with the crispy rice shell — this version is especially popular at upscale Changsha tea houses.
Black Sesame Filling (黑芝麻麻球)
Use a ground black sesame and sugar paste filling instead of red bean for a nuttier, more intense flavor and dramatic black-on-white contrast when bitten into. This variation is particularly common in autumn and winter months in Changsha.
Hollow Sugar-Only Version (空心麻球)
Omit the filling entirely and instead roll a small cube of caramelized brown sugar into the center of the dough. During frying, the sugar melts and creates a liquid caramel core — when bitten, it oozes out for a delightful sweet surprise. This is the classic street-vendor version.
- Wok not hot enough — the oil should be shimmering but not smoking before you add ingredients.
- Overcrowding the wok — cook in batches if needed; too much food at once causes steaming instead of stir-frying.
- Cutting ingredients unevenly — uniform pieces ensure everything cooks at the same rate.
- Adding sauce too early — let the ingredients sear first, then add sauce in the final 30 seconds.
Serve immediately with steamed white rice — the dish should still be sizzling when it reaches the table. A simple soup like egg drop soup or tomato egg soup provides a cooling contrast. For a full Hunan spread, add one cold appetizer and one vegetable dish.
What Makes It Hunan
Changsha Sesame Balls is a quintessential Hunan dish that showcases the bold, unapologetic flavors of Xiang cuisine. Unlike Sichuan's numbing-spicy heat, Hunan cooking relies on dry, direct spiciness from fresh and dried chilies, complemented by the deep umami of fermented ingredients like duojiao (chopped salted chilies) and douchi (fermented black beans).
The hallmarks of Xiang cuisine — dry chili heat, bright acidic tang, and the deep umami of smoke and fermentation — come together in this dish. There is no numbing distraction of Sichuan peppercorn to mask the ingredients; the spice here is meant to be felt and savored.
Whatever the technique, the goal is the same: clean, layered flavors with a clear throughline of chili heat and the savory depth that only slow building — through fermentation, smoking, or patient braising — can produce.
This recipe represents the Hunan preparation. Many Chinese-American restaurant versions of Hunan dishes add extra sugar, use pre-made sauces, or deep-fry ingredients that are traditionally stir-fried. The key difference is that Hunan cooking uses fresh whole chilies, fermented condiments like duojiao and douchi, and high-heat wok techniques — not thick, sweet sauces.
Nutrition
Estimated values per serving (recipe serves 6). Actual nutrition will vary depending on specific ingredients and portion sizes.
| Nutrient | Per serving |
|---|---|
| Calories | 285 kcal |
| Protein | 4 g |
| Total fat | 12 g |
| Carbohydrates | 40 g |
| Sodium | 85 mg |
Values are estimates. Actual nutrition will vary depending on specific ingredients and portion sizes.
Frequently Asked Questions
📖 The Hunan Cookbook
Love This Recipe? Get All 500+
The complete guide to Hunan cooking — 500+ proven recipes, practical cooking notes, and three regional styles. Instant download, free lifetime updates.
Get the Cookbook — $9.99 →30-day money-back guarantee · Instant PDF download
As an Amazon Associate, HunanFlavor earns from qualifying purchases. This helps us keep creating free recipes at no extra cost to you.
Sources & References
- Traditional Hunan home cooking techniques passed down through generations
- Regional Hunan culinary guides and food history archives
- Hunan provincial cooking methods and ingredient references
- Our Hunan Cuisine Guide for cultural context