Ingredients:

Dough:

• 1 (16 oz) bag glutinous rice flour
• 2 Tablespoons rice flour
• 3 Tablespoons parmesan cheese (yung powdery)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2/3 cup sugar or honey
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 ¼ cup room temperature water (plus more if needed)

Filling:

• ½ lb taro, peeled, sliced and steamed (about 25-30 minutes, fork tender like potato)
• ¼ cup sugar or honey (may add more)
• 1/3 cup grated cheese (quickmelt)
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• Katas ng beetroot for coloring

Procedure:

• In a large bowl, combine flours, parmesan cheese, baking powder, sugar/honey and salt. Slowly add in water, kneading between addition until the dough is soft, smooth and like playdough consistency. You may not need all the water or you make need more water. Make sure you knead the dough to incorporate the water completely before adding any more.
• In a medium bowl, mash the steamed taro while it’s hot, add sugar and salt until completely incorporated. Stir in the grated cheese. Add drops of fresh beetroot juice if desired.

To assemble:

• ½ cup sesame seeds (plus more if needed)
• ¼ cup water (if needed)
• Oil for deep frying
• Pour sesame seeds in a plate and set aside a small bowl of water. Flatten an inch of dough ball into a circle about 2 to 2.5 inch wide. Place about a teaspoon or two of filling into the flattened dough. Pinch the edges and roll into a smooth ball. Roll the filled ball on plate of sesame seeds as to completely fill the surface with sesame seeds. If the dough seems to dry, dip it in the water.
• Heat up oil in a heavy pan until it reaches 325F. Fry 5 to 6 sesame balls at a time. Make sure to turn the balls when they are still on the bottom of the pan, so they don’t get over cooked on one side. Turn the sesame balls as needed when they float to the top, as thicker sides tend to roll under the oil, while thinner sides will be above the oil, which could lead to uneven cooking and browning. Fry for 6-8 minutes until balls are golden brown. Serve warm.