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Level 3 Moderately Thick
Prep: 30 min Difficulty: Easy Main ingredient: black-sesame
#level-3#black-sesame#almond#dessert-soup#cantonese#hong-kong#liquidised#calcium#elderly#tong-sui#sweet

Black Sesame and Almond Paste (Strained) | IDDSI Level 3 Recipe

IDDSI Level 3 (Liquidised) | 30 minutes | Easy

Black sesame and almond paste (黑芝麻杏仁糊, hak zi ma hang yan wu) is a beloved traditional Cantonese dessert soup (糖水, tong sui) found at dessert shops and restaurant menus across Hong Kong. Rich, nutty, dark, and naturally sweet, it is prized both for its distinctive deep-roasted flavour and for its impressive nutritional profile — black sesame is one of the most calcium-dense foods in the Cantonese culinary lexicon, and the addition of Chinese sweet almonds (南杏 and 北杏) contributes further minerals, healthy fats, and the characteristic mild marzipan aroma. In traditional Chinese medicine, black sesame is considered a kidney-tonifying, hair-nourishing food frequently recommended for the elderly. Traditional 芝麻糊 is made by grinding roasted black sesame with rice or glutinous rice flour and simmering with water and sugar, producing a smooth, flowing paste of uniform consistency. For IDDSI Level 3 compliance, the paste must be completely smooth with no sesame hull fragments, almond pieces, or rice flour lumps. This recipe produces a naturally Level 3-compliant dessert soup using a blending and straining method.

Ingredients (2–3 servings)

Method

  1. Toast sesame: If using raw sesame seeds, dry-toast in a pan over medium heat for 3–4 minutes, stirring constantly, until fragrant. Do not burn. Allow to cool.
  2. Blend: Combine toasted black sesame, soaked sweet almonds, and 200ml of the water in a high-power blender. Blend on the highest speed for 2–3 minutes until as smooth as possible. The mixture will be a thick, dark grey-black paste.
  3. Dissolve glutinous rice flour in 100ml of cold water, stirring until no lumps remain.
  4. Pour the sesame-almond mixture through a fine-mesh sieve or a nut milk bag into a medium saucepan, pressing firmly to extract all liquid. Discard the dry sesame hull and almond fibre residue retained in the sieve.
  5. Add remaining 300ml water and the rock sugar to the strained liquid in the saucepan.
  6. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring constantly. Add the dissolved rice flour mixture, stirring vigorously to prevent lumps.
  7. Continue stirring over low-medium heat for 5–7 minutes until the paste thickens to a smooth, flowing consistency.
  8. Taste and adjust sweetness. The paste should be uniformly dark, shiny, and smooth.
  9. Perform texture test. Serve warm at 55–60°C.

Texture Test

IDDSI Level 3 (Liquidised) confirmation: Tilt a loaded spoon — the black sesame paste should flow slowly and continuously, leaving a visible dark coating on the back of the spoon. Using the IDDSI syringe test at 45 degrees, 1–10ml should be expelled over 10 seconds. The paste must be completely smooth — rub between clean dry fingertips: no gritty sesame hull fragments, no almond pieces, no lumps should be detectable.

Consistency adjustment: If too thick (does not flow from spoon): add warm water 1 tablespoon at a time and stir. If too thin: simmer 1–2 additional minutes while stirring to evaporate moisture.

Safety Notes

⚠️ Sesame hull fragments must be completely excluded — sesame hulls are fibrous and gritty; even small fragments represent a significant particle hazard for IDDSI Level 3 diets. Use a fine-mesh sieve or nut milk bag and press firmly. If hull residue is visible in the strained liquid, strain again.

⚠️ Almond pieces — raw almond pieces are IDDSI Level 6–7. After blending and straining, no almond fragment should remain. Confirm complete smoothness before serving.

⚠️ Sugar content — this dessert soup contains 15–20g sugar per 200ml serving. Assess appropriateness for individuals with diabetes or glucose management needs.

⚠️ Almond caution — Chinese bitter almonds (北杏) contain trace cyanogenic compounds that are eliminated by soaking and cooking; small quantities (as in this recipe) in combination with sweet almonds are traditional and safe. Do not use large quantities of raw bitter almonds alone.

⚠️ Serving temperature — confirm below 60°C. The dark colour makes heat difficult to assess visually; use a thermometer.

Sourcing Outside Hong Kong

For international care kitchens and home cooks outside Hong Kong, Cantonese ingredients are widely available at East and Southeast Asian grocery stores:

Black sesame seeds and paste (黑芝麻醬): Wing Yip, H Mart, T&T, and most East Asian grocers. Yami.com (US) carries imported Chinese brands.

If a specific ingredient is unavailable in your region, the recipe notes alternative substitutions in the Ingredients section. For dishes requiring fresh Cantonese-specific ingredients (e.g. preserved century egg, fresh rice noodle rolls), check with your local East Asian grocer before substituting — texture compliance for IDDSI levels may require specific products.

Nutrition

Approximately 180–220 kcal per 200ml serving (including sugar). Exceptional calcium source — black sesame contains approximately 975mg calcium per 100g, significantly higher than dairy milk. After straining, a meaningful fraction of this calcium remains in the liquid as calcium salts. The paste also provides iron, magnesium, zinc, B vitamins, and healthy unsaturated fats from both sesame and almonds. For elderly individuals at risk of osteoporosis, calcium insufficiency, or who do not consume dairy, black sesame paste is one of the most valuable traditional sources of bioavailable calcium in the Cantonese diet.

Cultural Note

黑芝麻杏仁糊 is one of the most enduring Cantonese 糖水 (dessert soups) — a category of sweet, warm, flowing desserts that has no direct equivalent in Western cuisine but occupies an important place in Hong Kong food culture. 糖水 shops remain a beloved fixture of HK streets, particularly in the evenings, serving bowls of smooth sesame paste alongside other classic tong sui to customers of all ages. For elderly individuals, a warm bowl of black sesame paste carries deep nostalgic associations with neighbourhood dessert shops, evening family outings, and the comforting sweetness of traditional Hong Kong life. This IDDSI Level 3 version preserves both the flavour and the cultural meaning of the original — making it an especially valuable addition to care home menus and family caregiving.

Storage and Reheating

⚠️ This recipe is for reference only. Texture varies by technique and ingredients. A speech therapist should confirm the appropriate IDDSI level.
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