Jianhu Lotus Root Starch Balls 建湖藕粉圆子

Jianhu Lotus Root Starch Balls (建湖藕粉圆子) are a sweet from Jianhu (建湖), Yancheng (盐城), with a translucent, elastic coating around a rich filling. The cooked balls are deep red, soft and tender. Their coating is built up through repeated dips in boiling water and rolls through dry lotus-root starch.

Building the coating

The recipe published by Yanfu Dazhong Daily (盐阜大众报) combines toasted, crushed pine nuts, melon seeds and walnuts with chopped candied kumquat, crushed sesame pastry, osmanthus, sugar and lard. The filling is rubbed together and rolled into small balls. These are shaken in a tray of lotus-root starch, briefly dipped into boiling water with a slotted spoon, then coated again. Repeating the process forms the outer layer.

Sweet soup and celebratory meals

For serving, the balls simmer in water until they float, then sugar and osmanthus are added. Yanfu Dazhong Daily describes them at rural celebrations and birthday banquets in northern Jiangsu. Their round shape and the sounds of their name evoke togetherness and pairing, making them an auspicious sweet dish.