Jian dui

What is Jian dui?

Jian dui are round, golden-brown pastries made from glutinous rice flour dough. The outside is covered in sesame seeds and fried, giving a crisp and chewy texture. Inside, there is often a hollow space with a sweet filling, commonly lotus seed paste, red bean paste, or mung bean paste. The pastry is slightly chewy from the glutinous rice, and the sesame seeds add a nutty aroma and crunch. Regional versions may use other fillings, such as black bean paste or sweetened coconut.

Where does Jian dui come from?

Jian dui traces its roots to the Tang dynasty in China, where it was known as lüdui and served at the royal court in Chang'an (now Xi'an). The pastry is mentioned in Tang poetry, showing its long-standing cultural presence. After the An–Shi Rebellion, people migrating south from central China brought jian dui with them, helping it spread across southern China and into other regions of Asia through migration and trade.

How is Jian dui made?

To make jian dui, glutinous rice flour is mixed into a dough, shaped into balls, and filled with a sweet paste such as lotus seed, red bean, or mung bean. The filled balls are rolled in sesame seeds, ensuring the seeds coat the surface. They are then deep-fried until the outside turns golden and crisp, while the inside remains soft and slightly hollow due to the expansion of the dough during frying.

How and when is Jian dui eaten?

Jian dui is often enjoyed as a snack or with tea, especially in dim sum restaurants and bakeries. In some places, it is a festive treat, particularly during Chinese New Year, when sharing these pastries symbolizes good fortune. It is commonly eaten at room temperature, sometimes freshly fried, and can be found in markets, street stalls, and as part of celebratory spreads. In Mauritius, it is shared among family and friends during the New Year.

Kinds of Jian dui

Across Asia, jian dui takes on local names and fillings. In Indonesia, onde-onde is filled with mung bean paste. In Malaysia, kuih bom may use coconut or nuts. The Vietnamese bánh cam and bánh rán use mung bean or savory fillings, with bánh rán sometimes scented with jasmine. In the Philippines, butsi may be boiled or steamed and can include ube (purple yam) filling. In Mauritius, gato zinzli sometimes uses sweet potato in the dough.

What Jian dui means

Jian dui is a familiar sight in Chinese bakeries and dim sum houses, both in Asia and overseas. In Mauritius, it is closely tied to Chinese New Year celebrations among Sino-Mauritians, symbolizing sharing and friendship. The pastry’s presence in poetry and its adaptation across cultures reflect its cultural significance and the migration of Chinese communities. It is also a marker of Chinese influence in local cuisines across Asia and beyond.

When Jian dui is on the table

Questions people ask about Jian dui

Good reading and sources

• Jian dui on WikipediaEncyclopedia
• More photos on Wikimedia CommonsPhotos
• Wikidata recordOpen data