Black Sesame Dessert Soup

This has always been one of my favorite chinese desserts. Well.. then there is the sweetened steam custard, mango pudding and steamed coconut pudding. All my other favorites. :)

It does take a bit of time to prepare this dessert, but the steps are actually really easy.

The nutty aroma from the black sesame seeds is intoxicatingly addictive.. :)

Black sesame is readily available from Asian grocery stores. If you aren't able to get roasted seeds, then you can toast the seeds over a hot saucepan before soaking and grinding the seeds.

This maybe the only ediable recipe that has been passed to me from my mum. Although she admits she originally got it from one of her friends. The rice is used to thicken the black sesame concentrate. You do need to spend a fair bit of time in front of a blender and pressing the mixture through a fine sieve. This process does need to be repeated about 3 times. The left over husk can be discarded, but some of my friends who have tried the end product, prefer to add a teaspoon of the husk into the soup. Apparently this gives the soup a bit more 'texture'.

Black Sesame Dessert Soup
Recipe via word of mouth from my mum's friend... :)

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 300g Roasted Black Sesame Seeds
• 1/4 cup white rice
• 4 cups water
• 2 large pieces Rock Sugar - adjust to taste

Equipment

• fine-mesh sieve
• blender
• deep saucepan
• large bowl

Method:

1. Wash the white rice until the water runs clear.
2. In a bowl, soak the rice with the black sesame seeds in about 2 cups of water. Then let sit for at least 2 hours
3. Ladle about 2 spoonfuls of the soaked mixture into a blender and pulse until the black sesame seeds break open.
4. With the fine-mesh sieve placed over the saucepan, pour the contents of the blender into the sieve. Using a soup spoon, push and strain the mixture through the sieve. Strain until the mixture starts to dry up.
5. Set the strained mixture aside in another bowl.
6. Spoon the strained mixture back into the blender add in about 1/2 cup of water and blend.
7. Pour the contents of the blender into the sieve and continue to strain until the mixture dries up.
8. Repeat this process until the soaked sesame bowl is empty, and all the black sesame seed husks are strained dry.
9. Reserve the black sesame seed husks and set aside.
10. Heat up the saucepan with the liquid black sesame, add in the rock sugar and slowly bring the contents to a simmer.
11. The sesame soup should start to thicken as it simmers.
12. Taste the soup and add more rock sugar if required.
13. Add back in about 2 tablespoons of the reserved black sesame seed husk for a bit of texture and let simmer for about 5 minutes before serving.
    

Notes:

• You can serve this dessert soup with some Glutinous rice balls. Just cook the rice balls separately as per the instructions on the packet, then add into the dessert soup just before serving.
• Glutinous rice balls are available in the freezer compartment of most Asian Grocery stores.
• Toasted sesame seeds from Japan seem to taste better.