Bite into ultra crispy Bánh Cam served hot and fresh from your kitchen! These Vietnamese Fried Sesame Balls have a golden outer shell and are filled using sweet mung bean paste. Bursting with a fragrant nutty flavor, they’ll make you come back for seconds.
For a dessert soup version, try Grandma’s Vietnamese Glutinous Rice Balls (Chè Trôi Nước)!
A snack worth making at home
A visit to our local Vietnamese shopping district isn’t complete without my eyes wandering over to the large box of Bánh Cam. Along with Coconut Pandan Waffles (Bánh Kẹp), they’re the snacks that I always long to bring home with me.
The only thing is they’re not always fresh when store bought. That’s why it’s such a treat when you make them at home.
They’ll be piping hot and crispy every time!
The best part is that when you bite into one, it’s immediately crunchy and bursting with sesame flavor. When you break through the outer shell, you’ll find a wonderfully sweet and chewy glutinous rice layer.
It doesn’t stop there! The center is filled with a creamy, ultra fragrant mung bean paste that complements the crunch so well.
If you love snacking on Bánh Cam, making it at home is a must!
Why this recipe works
- Adding shredded coconut to the filling adds texture and extra flavor.
- A touch of vanilla extract in the dough and mung bean paste boosts the sweetness.
- Mixing in potato into the Bánh Cam dough helps to keep it tender.
What you’ll need
For the dough
About the potato
To avoid simply buying one potato for this Bánh Cam recipe and discarding any leftovers, buy a few and save any that you don’t use for Lagu Gà (Chicken Ragu) or Honey Pork Spare Ribs.
For the filling
About the ingredients
We buy dried split mung beans from Asian supermarkets for our Vietnamese Fried Sesame Balls. You’ll find that they’re yellow because the green skin or hulls have been removed.
The coconut shreds are the frozen ones found in Asian grocery store freezers. It’s not the dried desiccated coconut we use for Pandan Waffles (Bánh Kẹp).
How to make this recipe
Rinse the mung beans in cool water until the water runs clear, then transfer them into a pot with 1 1/4 cup water. Bring it to a boil, then let it simmer on a low-medium heat with the lid on for 15 minutes or until the water has evaporated.
Turn the heat to low and pour in 1/2 cup water. Use a spatula to mix the mung beans until they start to come together into a lumpy paste.
Season with the sugar, salt, vanilla extract and shredded coconut, then stir until combined. Mix in the oil and turn the heat up to low-medium to cook for another 5-10 minutes or until the paste is smooth. Make sure to stir the entire time.
Transfer the filling into a bowl to cool and cover the bowl to stop the paste from drying out.
To make the dough, mash the potato with the sugar, salt and vanilla extract until combined.
Add the oil and boiling water, then stir well. Pour in the room temperature water and mix it in.
In a separate bowl, combine the glutinous rice flour, corn starch, rice flour and baking powder.
Pour in the potato liquid bit by bit and mix it through, kneading until it forms a dough. Let it rest for 1 hour with a cover over the top.
Note: The Vietnamese Fried Sesame Balls dough should be soft while still holding its shape. It should not stick to your hands.
Meanwhile, portion the mung bean paste and roll them into balls, roughly 3cm (1.2″ wide). Cover them as you continue to work on the dough.
Once the hour is up, roll the dough ball into a long log about 3cm (1.2″) thick and divide the log into approximately 16 pieces.
Pro Tip: Divide the dough based on how many mung bean balls rolled.
Roll each dough piece into a round ball and cover with a tea towel or plastic wrap.
Take one mung bean ball and one dough ball out at a time. Flatten the dough into a circle and lay it over the mung bean ball. Gently pull and press the dough until it covers the entire filling.
Press the open part together to seal the filling inside, then pull off any excess dough. You can save each bit of excess to make another ball or discard it.
Keep each rolled ball covered so they don’t dry out.
Once every ball has been rolled, lightly dab one into a dish of water and spread the water around the surface. Then dip and roll the ball into a bowl of white sesame seeds. Toss it around until the entire surface is covered, then set aside for frying.
Repeat with all the remaining balls.
Note: The water will help the seeds adhere to the surface.
Heat up a pot of oil to roughly 180°C (356°F) and fry 3 at a time or enough so that the pot isn’t overcrowded. Fry each batch for 10 minutes or until golden brown.
Place each cooked batch on a plate lined with paper towels to absorb any excess oil.
Serve the Bánh Cam immediately as is!
Recipe FAQs
You sure can! Just fry them up first, then let each one cool down. Place them in a freezer for 45 minutes to firm up. Once firm, transfer them into a container or bag to freeze completely. Doing it like this will keep them from sticking to each other.
Ideally they’re eaten immediately after fried, but if you do have leftovers then place them in an oven or air fry. Keep the heat at 160°C (320°F) and reheat for about 5 minutes or until crisp.
You want to make sure that the flavor isn’t overpowered by an oil and that the oil can withstand the high heat. That’s why a neutral-tasting oil with a high smoking point like vegetable, peanut, corn or canola oil would be ideal.
Tips for the best results
- Cover each ball in enough oil. Make sure to completely cover the balls so they don’t stick to the bottom and burn. This also prevents it from sticking and splitting apart as you move it.
- Turn them regularly when frying. This will help the Bánh Cam develop an even color.
- Coat the entire surface with sesame seeds. Doing so will ensure that the dough doesn’t stick to the base of the frying pan.
- Use a blender. Blitz the filling in a blender for an even smoother paste.
Our favorite desserts from Vietnam!
- Chè Đậu Trắng (Sticky Rice Pudding with Black Eyed Peas) – Thick, sticky and creamy, this dessert is like a warm hug!
- Sương Sáo (Grass Jelly) – Make a signature Vietnamese dessert with refreshing grass jelly bejewelled with all your favorite sweet toppings.
- Thạch Dừa (Coconut Jelly) – Aunty’s recipe makes this treat SO easy. If you have coconut water on hand (bottled works too), then you’re already halfway there.
- Sinh Tố Sầu Riêng (Durian Shake) – This robust fruit shake is for the daring, but if you love durian, you’ll love this drink.
- Sinh Tố Bơ (Avocado Smoothie) – Creamy and smooth, you can complement any Vietnamese dish with this.
- Kem Chuối (Banana and Coconut Ice Cream) – The perfect after-school snack is here! Make these ahead of time, then freeze them for whenever you want a treat!
Want more home cooked recipes?
Subscribe to our email list and be the first to get recipe updates as soon as they’re posted. You can also follow Wok & Kin on YouTube, Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook and Twitter!
Bánh Cam (Vietnamese Fried Sesame Balls)
Equipment
- Spatula
- tea towel/plastic wrap (anything to cover the dough and filling from drying out)
Ingredients
For The Dough
- 235 g / 1.9 US cup glutinous rice flour
- 25 g / 3.2 tbsp rice flour
- 15 g / 2 tbsp corn starch
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 75 g / 0.16 lb potato (cooked)
- 80 g / 0.4 US cup sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil (plus more for frying)
- 1/4 US cup boiling water
- 1/2 US cup room temperature water (plus 1/4 US cup on the side if needed to moisten dough)
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- white sesame seeds
For The Filling
- 150 g / 0.33 lb split mung bean
- 1 1/4 US cup water (to boil the mung beans)
- 1/2 US cup water (for the cooked mung beans)
- 40 g / 3.2 tbsp sugar (or to taste)
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 30 g / 0.07 lb shredded coconut
- 1 tbsp oil
Instructions
- Rinse the mung beans in cool water until the water runs clear, then transfer them into a pot with 1 1/4 cup water. Bring it to a boil, then let it simmer on a low-medium heat with the lid on for 15 minutes or until the water has evaporated.
- Turn the heat to low and pour in 1/2 cup water. Use a spatula to mix the mung beans until they start to come together into a lumpy paste.
- Season with the sugar, salt, vanilla extract and shredded coconut, then stir until combined. Mix in the oil and turn the heat up to low-medium to cook for another 5-10 minutes or until the paste is smooth. Make sure to stir the entire time.
- Transfer the filling into a bowl to cool and cover the bowl to stop the paste from drying out.
- To make the dough, mash the potato with the sugar, salt and vanilla extract until combined.
- Add the oil and boiling water, then stir well. Pour in the room temperature water and mix it in.
- In a separate bowl, combine the glutinous rice flour, corn starch, rice flour and baking powder.
- Pour in the potato liquid bit by bit and mix it through, kneading until it forms a dough. Let it rest for 1 hour with a cover over the top.Note: The Vietnamese Fried Sesame Balls dough should be soft while still holding its shape. It should not stick to your hands.
- Meanwhile, portion the mung bean paste and roll them into balls, roughly 3cm (1.2" wide). Cover them as you continue to work on the dough.
- Once the hour is up, roll the dough ball into a long log about 3cm (1.2") thick and divide the log into approximately 16 pieces.Pro Tip: Divide the dough based on how many mung bean balls rolled.
- Roll each dough piece into a round ball and cover with a tea towel or plastic wrap.
- Take one mung bean ball and one dough ball out at a time. Flatten the dough into a circle and lay it over the mung bean ball. Gently pull and press the dough until it covers the entire filling.
- Press the open part together to seal the filling inside, then pull off any excess dough. You can save each bit of excess to make another ball or discard it.Keep each rolled ball covered so they don't dry out.
- Once every ball has been rolled, lightly dab one into a dish of water and spread the water around the surface. Then dip and roll the ball into a bowl of white sesame seeds. Toss it around until the entire surface is covered, then set aside for frying.Note: The water will help the seeds adhere to the surface.
- Repeat with all the remaining balls.
- Heat up a pot of oil to roughly 180°C (356°F) and fry 3 at a time or enough so that the pot isn't overcrowded. Fry each batch for 10 minutes or until golden brown.
- Place each cooked batch on a plate lined with paper towels to absorb any excess oil.
- Serve the Bánh Cam immediately as is!
Notes
- Cover each ball in enough oil. Make sure to completely cover the balls so they don’t stick to the bottom and burn. This also prevents it from sticking and splitting apart as you move it.
- Turn them regularly when frying. This will help the Bánh Cam develop an even color.
- Coat the entire surface with sesame seeds. Doing so will ensure that the dough doesn’t stick to the base of the frying pan.
- Use a blender. Blitz the filling in a blender for an even smoother paste.
- To avoid simply buying one potato for this Bánh Cam recipe and discarding any leftovers, buy a few and save any that you don't use for Lagu Gà (Chicken Ragu) or Honey Pork Spare Ribs.
- We buy dried split mung beans from Asian supermarkets for our Vietnamese Fried Sesame Balls. You'll find that they're yellow because the green skin or hulls have been removed.
- The coconut shreds are the frozen ones found in Asian grocery store freezers. It's not the dried desiccated coconut.
Leave A Comment