Homemade Zhaliang with Sesame Sauce

Ingredients

• 200g (7 oz) rice flour 200g (7 oz) rice flour
• 30g (1 oz) wheat starch 30g (1 oz) wheat starch
• 300ml (1 1/4 cups) water 300ml (1 1/4 cups) water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 youtiao (Chinese doughnuts) 4 youtiao (Chinese doughnuts)
• 4 fuzhu (soybean sheets) 4 fuzhu (soybean sheets)
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• For the sesame sauce: For the sesame sauce:
• 3 tablespoons sesame paste 3 tablespoons sesame paste
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon sugar 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 clove garlic, minced 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon chili oil (optional) 1/2 teaspoon chili oil (optional)
• 2 tablespoons hot water 2 tablespoons hot water

Nutrition

• Calories (kcal / KJ): 320 kcal / 1340 KJ
• Fat (total, saturated): 12g, 2g
• Carbohydrates (total, sugars): 45g, 4g
• Protein: 8g
• Fiber: 2g
• Salt: 1.5g

Preparation

1. 1.
   In a mixing bowl, combine the rice flour, wheat starch, water, and salt. Stir until smooth and let the batter rest for 30 minutes.
2. 2.
   Cut the youtiao and fuzhu into thin strips.
3. 3.
   Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat and brush it with vegetable oil. Pour a thin layer of the rice flour batter onto the pan and swirl it around to form a thin crepe. Cook until the crepe is set and can be easily lifted from the pan. Repeat with the remaining batter.
4. 4.
   Place a youtiao strip and a fuzhu strip on each crepe and roll it up tightly. Cut the rolls into bite-sized pieces.
5. 5.
   Prepare the sesame sauce by whisking together the sesame paste, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, minced garlic, chili oil (if using), and hot water until smooth.
6. 6.
   Steam the rice noodle rolls for about 10 minutes until heated through.
7. 7.
   Serve the Zhaliang with the sesame sauce for dipping.

Treat your ingredients with care...

• Youtiao — If you can't find youtiao, you can substitute it with fried tofu or even crispy fried mushrooms for a vegetarian option.
• Fuzhu — If fuzhu is not available, you can use dried bean curd sheets or even thinly sliced vegetables as a filling alternative.

Tips & Tricks

• To prevent the rice noodle rolls from sticking together, lightly brush them with oil after steaming.
• For a spicier sesame sauce, increase the amount of chili oil or add a pinch of red pepper flakes.
• Experiment with different fillings such as shrimp, shredded chicken, or vegetables to create your own variations of Zhaliang.
• If the rice noodle rolls become too soft after steaming, you can briefly pan-fry them for a crispy texture before serving.
• Leftover Zhaliang can be refrigerated and reheated by steaming for a few minutes.

Serving advice

Serve the Zhaliang as an appetizer or snack. Arrange the bite-sized rolls on a plate and drizzle the sesame sauce over them. Garnish with chopped green onions or sesame seeds for added visual appeal.

Presentation advice

To enhance the presentation, you can sprinkle some finely chopped cilantro or toasted sesame seeds on top of the Zhaliang. Serve it on a bamboo steamer for an authentic touch.