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Zhimazao (sesame cakes): recipe illustration
Snacks & baking

Zhimazao (sesame cakes)

Small pan-fried cakes or fritters filled with sesame paste, sometimes red bean paste, and coated in toasted sesame seeds. Crispy outside and soft inside, they are eaten at breakfast or as a snack, especially in northern China.

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Ingredients

Ingredients

Garniture

Spices & seasoning

Optional extras

On the side

Instructions

  1. Mix the flour, sugar, yeast and a pinch of salt. Add the vegetable oil, then the lukewarm water little by little until you have a soft dough.
  2. Knead for 5 minutes, cover and let rest for 30 minutes.
  3. Mix the sesame paste, brown sugar and sesame oil to make a smooth filling.
  4. Divide the dough into 8 balls and flatten them into disks. Place a spoonful of filling in the center, close up and shape into small, well-sealed balls.
  5. Lightly flatten each ball and coat it with sesame seeds, pressing them in.
  6. Heat a nonstick pan over medium-low heat, place the cakes in and brown them for 3 to 4 minutes per side, covering halfway through cooking.
  7. Serve warm. They keep for 2 days in an airtight container.

Variations and tips

Sweet red bean version. Replace the sesame paste with red bean paste for a milder, fruitier filling.

With what's easy to find. If black sesame paste is hard to find, tahini gives a very similar flavor, a little lighter in color.

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Original Ecomely recipe.