Bai Nian Hao H'er (Together Forever)

Ingredients

Syrup (Prepare three hours before starting on glutinous rice flour balls):

1 cup water 5 tbsp sugar 1 pandan leaf Glutinous rice flour balls (soak in syrup for two to three hours): 100g whole lotus seeds, centres removed 100g dried pak hup (dried lily buds) 100g gingko nuts 50g dried longan flesh 300g glutinous rice flour 4 tbsp sugar 220ml water Method To make syrup: Boil ingredients together with pandan leaf until sugar dissolves, then leave to cool. To make glutinous rice flour balls: Boil lotus seeds, pak hup and gingko nuts till soft and tender. Soak in syrup for two to three hours. Drain well. Boil the dried longan flesh until it is fully opened. Mix the glutinous rice flour with the sugar and water to form a dough. Divide into four equal portions and add colouring of your choice to each portion. Place a little of each type of filling, including the boiled longan flesh, into the centre of each portion of coloured dough. Shape into a ball. Cook balls in a pot of boiling water until they float to the surface. Remove with a wire mesh ladle or slotted spoon and soak cooked balls in cool syrup. Drain well, then serve sprinkled with toasted sesame seeds.