Sugar-Oil Glutinous Balls

Sugar-oil glutinous balls are made from glutinous rice flour rolled into small rounds and slow-fried in a sugar-and-oil pan, coated in a glossy caramel and soft, sweet and fragrant within, glowing a tempting amber-red.

Vendors such as Wu Baosheng outside Huogongdian were known for making sugar-oil balls, and the craft was passed down to become one of Changsha's most widespread sweets, a shared childhood memory for generations of locals.

Fried to order and best eaten hot, they are usually served a few to a bowl, the warm syrup soft and sticky, often enjoyed alongside a cup of sweet rice wine or mung-bean soup.

The contrast of caramel shell and chewy centre, with warm flowing syrup, is what makes sugar-oil glutinous balls so beloved.