Black Sesame Soup | Made with Mini Rock Sugar

Black sesame soup is one of the best-known Cantonese sweet soups. Made at home from whole toasted seeds, it is rich with sesame.

Toasted black and white sesame are blended with soaked glutinous rice, water and rock sugar, then cooked and stirred until thick.

Made with Ship Brand Mini Rock Sugar, 300g
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The sugar

Mini Rock Sugar (迷你冰糖) comes in small, clear crystals with a clean, light sweetness.

Rock sugar is the classic choice for Cantonese sweet soups. Here it goes straight into the blender with the seeds and rice, so it dissolves evenly before cooking. Its sweetness stays in the background and leaves the toasted sesame flavour in front.

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What makes it work

Toast the sesame over medium heat and keep it moving. Stop as soon as it starts to smoke lightly, then tip it onto a tray to cool. Sesame left in a hot pan turns bitter.

The soaked glutinous rice is what thickens the soup. Stir all the way through cooking so it does not catch or turn lumpy. When large bubbles push up through the surface, it is done.

Recipe

Black Sesame Soup

Ingredients

• Glutinous rice 50g
• Black sesame 60g
• White sesame 25g
• Water 500g
• Ship Brand Mini Rock Sugar 45g (added in two parts, 20g and 25g)

Method

1. Soak the glutinous rice in water until it is soft and swollen.
2. Toast the black and white sesame together over medium heat, stirring, until they smell nutty and just begin to smoke.
3. Spread the sesame on a tray to cool.
4. Put the cooled sesame, drained rice, water and rock sugar in a blender.
5. Blend until fine and smooth.
6. Pour into a pot and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly.
7. When large bubbles rise, turn off the heat.
8. Ladle into bowls while hot.

Closing

Thick enough to coat the spoon, glossy, and full of toasted sesame.

Ship Brand (帆船牌) is the retail line of Yuen Tung Sugar Factory Industrial Company Limited. Sugar refined in Hong Kong since 1987. Shop Mini Rock Sugar.