what brings me joy: people’s reaction when they cut this mochi ball open at @malkapdx 🥰💚 I created this dessert, Hualien City, inspired by 麻球 or jian dui, the fried sesame ball dim sum classic. the name recalls the deep, dark caves and jade-colored landscapes of the Taroko gorge near Hualien, one of my favorite places in Taiwan. I used pandan to make the mochi and filled it with black sesame filling, and paired it with a sticky, luxurious miso-coconut caramel and the earthy, slightly bitter notes of toasted soybean powder. it’s also vegan and gluten free. come find it at @malkapdx ✨