I find myself craving black sesame soup when the weather gets cold. It’s extremely comforting, nutritious and warms you from the inside out.
Black sesame is a popular ingredient used in many Asian desserts. The Chinese believe that eating black sesame promotes healthy hair and healthy bones. You’ll find the ingredient in ice cream, blended into hot drinks, baked as a paste in breads or stuffed in dim sum of all shapes and sizes.
The jujube here is added for nutritional benefits. Known as the beauty fruit in China — jujube is full of minerals and fibre and adds a natural sweetness to dishes.
Preparation
2 tablespoons glutinous rice
½ cup toasted black sesame seeds (if using raw sesame seeds, toast them in a dry pan over medium heat until the seeds start to pop)
4 tablespoons sugar or sweetener of choice, to taste
6 jujube dates, pitted (optional)
2 cups water
Goji berries, as a garnish
Rinse the glutinous rice and soak for 3 hours at room temperature or overnight in the fridge.
Drain the glutinous rice and add to the blender with sesame seeds, jujube dates, if using and 2 cups of water. Blend on high until very smooth.
Transfer the mixture to a medium-sized pot. Heat over medium heat until boiling, stirring constantly to prevent the bottom from burning. The glutinous rice will thicken rapidly and stick to the bottom as you cook.
When the soup starts to bubble, add the sugar to taste. Continue cooking to your desired consistency (I like this soup on the thick side). Garnish with goji berries and serve warm. This soup will keep in the fridge for three days or in the freezer for one month.
The layers will separate so give it a stir before serving.
