Five-Color Glutinous Rice Balls in Ginger Syrup (Chè Trôi Nước Ngũ Sắc)

Name: Five-Color Glutinous Rice Balls in Ginger Syrup (Chè Trôi Nước Ngũ Sắc)
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: For the dough:; 2 2/3 cups glutinous rice flour (about 400 grams); 3 1/2 tablespoons magenta plant water (about 50 ml); 3 1/2 tablespoons butterfly pea flower water (about 50 ml); 3 1/2 tablespoons beet juice (about 50 ml); 3 1/2 tablespoons gardenia seed water (about 50 ml); 3 1/2 tablespoons warm water, about 104°F (about 50 ml); For the filling:; 1 1/2 cups split mung beans, hulled (about 300 grams); 1 cup granulated sugar (about 200 grams); For the ginger syrup:; 2 cups water (about 500 ml); 1 1/2 cups sugar (about 300 grams); 1 piece fresh ginger

Trang Nguyen @cook_6369307

Nha Trang

I usually make this dessert for Tet to offer to my family, wishing for everyone to be together, healthy, and safe. The colors of the rice balls come from natural ingredients, making them both beautiful and safe to eat.

Trang Nguyen @cook_6369307

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Ingredients

For the dough:
2 2/3 cupsglutinous rice flour (about 400 grams)
3 1/2 tablespoonsmagenta plant water (about 50 ml)
3 1/2 tablespoonsbutterfly pea flower water (about 50 ml)
3 1/2 tablespoonsbeet juice (about 50 ml)
3 1/2 tablespoonsgardenia seed water (about 50 ml)
3 1/2 tablespoonswarm water, about 104°F (about 50 ml)
For the filling:
1 1/2 cupssplit mung beans, hulled (about 300 grams)
1 cupgranulated sugar (about 200 grams)
For the ginger syrup:
2 cupswater (about 500 ml)
1 1/2 cupssugar (about 300 grams)
1 piecefresh ginger

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Steps

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For the filling: You can make both plain rice balls and ones with mung bean filling. Cook the mung beans until soft, then blend with sugar and a little water. Cook the mixture on the stove until it thickens, then shape into balls about 2/5 oz (10 grams) each.
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To extract natural colors from leaves and flowers, follow the method described in my Five-Color Sticky Rice recipe. You can refer to that recipe for details.
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For the dough: Warm the magenta plant water (or gardenia seed water, beet juice, butterfly pea flower water, or plain water) to about 104°F, then turn off the heat. Add the glutinous rice flour and knead until the dough is smooth and forms a ball. Let the dough rest for 30 minutes. Repeat for each color.
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After resting, divide the dough into 1/2 oz (13 grams) pieces and wrap around the mung bean filling, or make 1/3 oz (8 grams) balls if making plain rice balls without filling.
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Bring a pot of water to a gentle boil. Drop the rice balls in and cook until they float to the surface, then remove and soak them in a bowl of cooled boiled water.
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Make the ginger syrup by simmering sugar and ginger in water until slightly thickened, then add the rice balls. To serve, place five rice balls of different colors in a bowl and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
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