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Ludagun (donkey rolls)

Lǘ dǎ gǔn (驴打滚): steamed glutinous rice rolled with red bean paste and coated in toasted soybean flour

The name means 'donkey rolling in the dust', after the golden soybean flour that coats these soft rolls like a donkey that has rolled on a dusty road. It's one of the old Beijing sweets sold at temple fairs and in snack streets near Houhai, often next to pea-flour cakes. Inside is chewy glutinous rice dough spread with red bean paste and rolled into a spiral. Chef's tip: toast the soybean flour yourself until it smells of roasted nuts; the shop-bought kind is often pale and flat-tasting.
Total time
50 min
Difficulty
medium
Serves
6
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Ingredients

Serves6

Method

0/6 done
  1. Step 1: Whisk 7 oz glutinous rice flour, 1 tbsp sugar and ¾ cup water to a smooth, thick batter. Pour into a heatproof dish brushed with 1 tsp neutral oil.

  2. Step 2: Steam over a high heat for 20 minutes, stirring once halfway, until the dough is translucent all over with no white patches.

    20 min
  3. Step 3: Meanwhile, toast 2 ⅛ oz kinako (roasted soy bean powder) in a dry frying pan over a low heat, stirring all the time, for 4–5 minutes, until it turns a shade darker and smells nutty. Tip onto a plate to stop it cooking.

    5 min
  4. Step 4: Sprinkle a third of the soybean flour over a sheet of baking paper. Scrape the hot dough onto it, dust the top and, with oiled hands, press it into a rectangle about 5 mm thick. Common mistake: using too little flour, so the sticky dough clings to everything.

  5. Step 5: Spread 7 oz sweetened red bean paste evenly over the dough, leaving 1 cm clear on one long side. Roll up tightly from the other long side, using the paper to help.

  6. Step 6: Roll the log in the remaining soybean flour and cut into 3 cm pieces with a knife dipped in water. Eat the same day, at room temperature.

Nutrition per serving

Calories
260 kcal
Protein
8 g
Carbs
48 g
Fat
4 g
Fibre
4 g

Nutrition values are estimates.

K
Recipe by

KrazyBadal

All recipes by this chef →

Good to know

How long does ludagun (donkey rolls) take?
About 50 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook.
How many people does it serve?
6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
Is it vegan?
Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
Is it gluten free?
Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
What can I use instead of sugar?
Caster sugar, same amount.

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