Buchi Recipe

BY :Bebs | Published: 06/04/ 2020 | Updated:11/15/ 2020 | 34 Comments

RECIPE VIDEO PRINT

5 from 7 votes

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Crunchy on the outside, chewy and sweet inside, this Buchi recipe will surely hit the right spot. Fill your home with the aroma of sesame seeds and serve fresh to your loved ones. This recipe has an extra ingredient for a crispier Buchi!

What is Buchi?
Options for the Buchi Filling
Foxy Tips for a Yummier Buchi:
Printable Recipe
Buchi Recipe

What is Buchi?

Buchi is a Filipino treat made of glutinous rice stuffed with a sweet filling, rolled in sesame seeds, and fried into golden brown goodness. This fried dim sum originated from China and is known to them asJian Dui. They normally filled it with lotus, sweet black bean, or red bean paste. In the US, this is commonly known as sesame balls.

You will frequently find them served as a dessert in Chinese restaurants all over the country. They are also sold by street food vendors or peddlers and enjoyed as an afternoon snack.

Options for the Buchi Filling

With the ingenious minds of Filipinos, there are several local options to use for the filling. Ube (Purple Yam), Kamote (Sweet Potato), and Monggo (Mung Beans) are some of the most popular ones.

Others have even ventured to more unconventional but fun options like chocolate, custard, banana with cinnamon, and mozzarella cheese.

Today, I will be using Ube and Red Mung Paste because I have both ingredients handy so why not, right?

If you do not have red mungs beans, you can also use canned red kidney beans as an alternative. You can find the recipe below.

Foxy Tips for a Yummier Buchi:

The crispier the better- if you want your Buchi to be crispier, try adding potato flakes. I used it on the last batch I made and it turned out much better.

Don’t let it pop!- Buchi pops if they are cooked using high temperature because the outer layer will cook faster than the inside. So, remember to use medium to low heat when frying for a better end result.

Keep them round and plump- once the Buchi floats on top, it generally means it is cooked. However, if you want to prevent it from deflating later on, keep it on a bit longer. Use chopsticks or a fork to continuously spin the balls while frying for even cooking until you are satisfied with the texture and color.

About glutinous rice flour. Just like any other rice, glutinous rice also has varying water absorption levels. This recipe should only serve as a guide. You may need to adjust the water if the dough is too dry to form into balls. Alternatively, you may need more glutinous rice flour is the dough is too wet and flattens a nit after forming into a ball. This is important as too much water will prevent the balls from floating even when cooked.

Other Glutinous Rice Flour Recipes

Do you have excess glutinous rice flour after making this delicious batch? Don't let it go to waste and use it right away.

Here are our other recipes using glutinous rice flour:

Palitaw- an afternoon snack or ‘merienda’ that consists mainly of glutinous rice coated with grated coconut and sugar and sometimes roasted sesame seeds.

Ginataang Bilo-bilo- Made with glutinous rice balls, plantain bananas, sweet potatoes, and tapioca pearls that are cooked in sweet coconut milk. Adding jackfruit makes it more special.

Espasol- a Filipino sticky rice delicacy made of toasted glutinous rice flour cooked in coconut milk. A popular hearty and healthy snack that only uses 4 basic ingredients.

Printable Recipe

Print Review

5 from 7 votes

Crunchy on the outside, chewy and sweet inside, this Buchi recipe will surely hit the right spot. Fill your home with the aroma of sesame seeds and serve fresh to your loved ones. This recipe has an extra ingredient for a crispier Buchi!

Prep Time: 30 minutes mins

Cook Time: 30 minutes mins

Total Time: 1 hour hr

Course :Snack

Servings =16 balls

Print Recipe Rate this Recipe

Ingredients

1 ½ cups glutinous rice flour
¼ cup brown sugar
¼ cup mashed potato flakes (optional)
¾ cup warm water -adjust as needed
⅛ teaspoon salt
½ cup sesame seeds
½ cup Ube Halaya
½ cup Sweet Red Munggo Paste

Instructions

In a small bowl, dissolve sugar and salt in the warm water.
In a bigger bowl, combine the glutinous rice flour and potato flakes and then add the sugar water and mix until they form a dough. You might need to add a bit of water or more rice flour to get the right consistency. It should be soft and bit wet but not too sticky.
From this dough, form small balls about 1 ½ inch in size.
Press each ball flat using both palms. The dough should not make big cracks on the edges if it has the right consistency.
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Add some filling on the center (about half teaspoon) and then gather the edges to enclose the filling inside. Roll again between your palms to make the ball smooth and round.
Once all balls are filled, it is time to cover them with sesame seeds. Place enough sesame seeds on a flat surface. Wet your palms with some drops of water and rub them together. Take a ball and roll it a few times between your palms. Roll the ball pressing ever so light lightly with sesame seeds.
In a deep pan or a pot, heat oil over medium heat. Make sure that the oil is deep enough so the balls will be fully submerged while frying. Place enough balls in the hot oil but do not overcrowd. Fry each batch for 6-8 minutes or until golden brown and after the balls float to the surface. Drain in a wire rack.
Serve while warm.

Nutrition

Calories: 139kcalCarbohydrates: 26gProtein: 4gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 23mgPotassium: 126mgFiber: 3gSugar: 14gVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 58mgIron: 2mg

Have you tried this recipe?Mention @foxyfolksy or tag #FoxyFolksyRecipes!

This Buchi recipe was originally published in February 2016. Updated in June 2020 to include new photos and a recipe video.

Recipe for Red Bean Paste from Kidney Beans

2 cups (1 can) kidney beans
¼ cup water
¼ Sugar

Put all in a mixer or blender and pulse until it becomes fine.
Transfer in a pan and cook under medium heat for about 15 minutes or until it becomes really thick and water is all gone while continuously stirring to prevent from burning.
Let it cool down before using.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

What do you think?

TG says
April 17, 2022 at 4:03 am

Instead of mashed potato flakes which i didn't have, i used rice flour. Everything else I followed the recipe. I was so ecstatic with the outcome!!! Taste and appearance was perfect. Nothing burst compared to my previous buchi trials.
This will be my final recipe of Buchi.
Thank you for your detailed instructions and what to watch out for. 😍
Reply
Rosalie bergado says
November 16, 2021 at 11:39 am

Hello miss..have tried cooking buchi..but my concern is when it is cool down medyo matigas sya at d malambot..because i mixed my ingredients with rice flour.. dahil ba dun kaya ang malamig na buchi ko eh matigas pag kinagat? Thank you so much for giving time to answer my concern..God bless po🤗🤗🤗🥰
Reply
- Bebs says
  July 15, 2022 at 11:19 am
  
  That could be a reason. I only use glutinous rice flour and not regular rice flour.
  Reply
Emila says
January 18, 2021 at 2:47 pm

Can I substitute glutinous rice flour with just regular rice flour? or rice flower with cornstarch?
Reply
- Bebs says
  May 20, 2021 at 12:40 am
  
  It has to be glutinous rice flour.
  Reply
Clarissa says
October 26, 2020 at 9:25 pm

I’m just wondering what is mashed sweet potato flakes? Thank you
Reply
- Bebs says
  October 26, 2020 at 11:47 pm
  
  Hi Clarissa, we did not use mashed sweet potato flakes but mashed potato flakes. This is simply the one used for instant mashed potato.
  Reply
Loree Sy says
September 30, 2020 at 11:58 am

Can I boil this for 2 minutes then bake it instead of deep frying?
Reply
Weng Tabares says
August 06, 2020 at 8:29 pm

Hi. I’ve been wanting to try this recipe but I can’t find potato flakes. Can I substitute it with potato starch?
Reply
- Bebs says
  October 30, 2020 at 1:02 pm
  
  Hi Weng, I think potato starch could also work.
  Reply
- Hazel says
  February 22, 2021 at 4:23 pm
  
  Can I ask how long does buchi last?? Out of fridge and in fridge?? Hope you can answer. Thanks.
  Reply
  - Bebs says
    March 03, 2021 at 3:32 am
    
    It will dry out in a couple of days.
    Reply
- Lynnix says
  February 23, 2021 at 6:42 pm
  
  Hi po! Is it ok without the potato flakes?
  Reply
  - Bebs says
    March 03, 2021 at 3:15 am
    
    Sure you can skip it if not available. But it might not be as crunchy but still good.
    Reply
There Salazar says
July 30, 2020 at 3:42 pm

Where did u buy ur potato flakes
Reply
- Bebs says
  July 31, 2020 at 12:54 am
  
  Hi There, its the one for making mashed potatoes that you can usually find in the grocery stores.
  Reply
Lorena says
July 17, 2020 at 9:36 pm

No need to use baking powder?
Reply
- Bebs says
  September 07, 2020 at 10:23 pm
  
  No need.
  Reply
Laura Lyons says
June 08, 2020 at 3:04 am

Great recipe. Thank you for sharing it.
Reply
- Bebs says
  June 10, 2020 at 2:40 am
  
  You are welcome, Laura.
  Reply
Estrella Hedriana says
June 05, 2020 at 9:39 am

I can't find any potato flakes in the store but was able to get a mashed potato powder. Would it be ok for me to use this mashed potato powder instead? Thank you.
Reply
- Bebs says
  June 05, 2020 at 8:44 pm
  
  Hi Estrella, it is not a must but it does make some difference. I haven't tried using mashed potato powder, but maybe they will work the same way so go ahead..
  Reply
Choi says
December 31, 2019 at 12:01 pm

First time that I made buchi. Used white beans instead and flavored it the hazelnut spread! Thanks Ms. Foxy! 😊
Reply
- Bebs says
  January 02, 2020 at 3:43 pm
  
  Wow that sounds yummy! Thanks for the great review Choi...
  Reply
SJ says
December 31, 2019 at 4:56 am

Hello. I was wondering if it would be ok to prepare the butchi the night before you fry. Or is it best to cook on the day?
Many thanks.
Reply
- Bebs says
  January 02, 2020 at 3:41 pm
  
  I would recommend serving it freshly cooked.
  Reply
Jacob Cebulak says
June 23, 2019 at 10:45 pm

I learned how to make these to impress my girlfriends family. It worked great! Thank you!
Reply
- Bebs says
  June 24, 2019 at 9:15 pm
  
  Wow! What a lucky girl! Keep it up Jacob!
  Reply
Trish says
April 05, 2019 at 12:30 am

Hello dear, followed your recipe and I’m so happy with the outcome! 😍 thank you for sharing!!
Reply
- Bebs says
  April 05, 2019 at 12:08 pm
  
  That is great to hear Trish!
  Reply
ana says
March 30, 2018 at 10:28 am

how did you make the potato flakes? ( for the Buchi)
Reply
- Bebs says
  March 30, 2018 at 11:12 am
  
  Hi Ana, I did not make it, you can buy it to make instant mashed potatoes.
  Reply
  - Zinnia says
    May 11, 2020 at 12:45 pm
    
    I made Buchi from another recipe and instead of potato flakes I added sweet mashed potato which was indicated in that recipe and it turned out good. The potato or sweet potato serves as a binder for the Buchi.
    Hope this helps since sweet potato is way cheaper in the Philippines than potato.
    Reply
    - Bebs says
      May 12, 2020 at 2:27 am
      
      Thanks for the tip, Zinnia.
      Reply

FAQs

Is Buchi Filipino or Chinese? ›

Butsi or Buchi Balls are Chinese in origin and can be found as a dessert or snack in various countries around Asia including the Philippines. It's made with glutinous rice flour and stuffed with a sweet bean paste. Traditionally it's deep fried, but I have an airfyer so used that instead for this recipe.

See Details ›

What is chowking buchi made of? ›

Buchi or Butsi is a rice cake made from sweet rice flour that is molded into shape with a sweet bean paste filling and sesame seed coating. This delectable treat is deep fried under high heat before serving. The most famous establishment that serves this in the Philippines would be Chowking .

Show Me More ›

What is buchi filling made of? ›

About the filling

This sesame dumpling is traditionally stuffed with lotus, peanut, or black or red bean paste, but feel to experiment with abundant local ingredients such as purple yam, kamote, and mung beans, as well as innovative options like cheese, chocolate, peanut butter, and yema.

Learn More ›

Where did the buchi come from? ›

Originated from China, buchi is a Filipino favorite which is made of glutinous rice stuffed with a sweet filling, rolled in sesame seeds, and fried into golden brown goodness.

Discover More ›

What's the difference between mochi and buchi? ›

Additionally, both Filipino cuisine and mochi utilize fermentation processes to enhance flavors and extend shelf-life. However, while Buchi is a local delicacy adapted from indigenous ingredients and tastes, mochi is a Japanese rice cake known for its chewy texture and potential choking risks.

Learn More ›

Is buchi healthy? ›

Buchi (Tinospora cordifolia) is a traditional plant used in Indian Ayurveda medicine. It has various beneficial properties, including antioxidative, antimicrobial, antihyperglycemic, anti-inflammatory, osteoprotective, hepatoprotective, antidiarrheal, and antistress effects.

Explore More ›

What is Lotus cream buchi? ›

Buchi is an essential side dish, snack, or dessert. It's made with fried rice balls with lotus cream filling rolled in sesame seeds.

Tell Me More ›

Are Chinese sesame balls healthy? ›

Sesame seeds are a good source of healthy fats, protein, B vitamins, minerals, fiber, antioxidants, and other beneficial plant compounds . So grab a few sesame seeds ball on a day to maintain your magnesium level.

Get More Info Here ›

What country are sesame balls from? ›

Jiandui or sesame balls are a type of fried Chinese pastry made from glutinous rice flour.

Tell Me More ›

Why do people eat sesame balls? ›

Fried sesame balls consist of sweet bean paste in the middle of a dough ball covered in sesame seeds. The sesame seeds provide a nice crunch once fried. Their significance in Chinese New Year is similar to the other desserts eaten during this time. Their round shape and golden color when fried represent luck.

View Details ›

Is buchi vegan? ›

Yes. All of our drinks are Organic, Vegan, Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, and Non-GMO.

Are sesame sticks Chinese? ›

snack, were made as the Spring Festival is. approaching.

Know More ›

Who invented sesame? ›

The sesame plant likely originated in Asia or East Africa, and ancient Egyptians are known to have used the ground seed as grain flour. The seeds were used by the Chinese at least 5,000 years ago, and for centuries they have burned the oil to make soot for the finest Chinese ink blocks.