Korean Cheese Balls (Mozzarella-Stuffed Glutinous Rice Fried Ball)
Quick answer
Cheese ball bunsik is a Korean street snack made by wrapping a cube of mozzarella in glutinous rice flour dough and deep-frying at 170 degrees Celsius until golden.
What makes this special
- Deep-frying at 170 degrees Celsius ensures a golden crust on these mozzarella-stuffed rice balls.
- Hot-water kneaded glutinous rice dough wraps around a mozzarella core
- Pulling apart hot from the fryer reveals a long molten cheese stretch
Key ingredients
Core cooking flow
- 1 Put 150g glutinous rice flour and 20g sugar in a bowl, then mix until no sugar clumps remain.
- 2 While the dough is still hot, gather it with a spatula, then knead by hand when it is safe to touch.
- 3 Cut 100g mozzarella into 1 to 1.5cm cubes.
Cheese ball bunsik is a Korean street snack made by wrapping a cube of mozzarella in glutinous rice flour dough and deep-frying at 170 degrees Celsius until golden. The dough is prepared by pouring boiling water directly over the rice flour and kneading while hot, a technique that fully activates the glutinous starch and produces a sticky, elastic dough with strong chew. Sugar and salt are mixed into the dough to provide a faint background sweetness that contrasts with the salty cheese inside. Frying at the right oil temperature turns the exterior crisp and golden while keeping the interior soft and chewy like a small rice cake. Pulling one apart hot off the fryer produces a dramatic mozzarella stretch, and the contrast between the savory cheese and the subtly sweet dough is the defining flavor combination. As the balls cool, the cheese solidifies and loses its elasticity, making fresh-from-the-fryer the only correct way to eat them.
Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Season
Put 150g glutinous rice flour and 20g sugar in a bowl, then mix until no sugar clumps remain.
Pour in 70ml hot water in 3 to 4 additions, stirring each time so no dry flour stays at the bottom.
- 2Step
While the dough is still hot, gather it with a spatula, then knead by hand when it is safe to touch.
Stop when it sticks less to your hands and feels soft, springy, and elastic like an earlobe.
- 3Heat
Cut 100g mozzarella into 1 to 1.5cm cubes.
Divide the dough into 15g portions, flatten each piece, and keep the center thick enough so the cheese does not press through during sealing or frying.
- 4Step
Place one cheese cube in the center and gather the dough edges upward to seal firmly.
Roll the ball between your palms until the seam disappears, because any opening can let melted cheese leak into the oil.
- 5Heat
Heat 500ml frying oil to 170C and keep the heat at medium-low.
Add the cheese balls and fry for 3 to 4 minutes, turning them often so every side becomes evenly golden instead of browning in patches.
- 6Finish
When the outside is crisp and slightly puffed, lift the balls out and drain them for only about 10 seconds.
Serve them hot before the mozzarella firms up, when the filling is still melted and stretches well.
After the steps
Pick a recipe that fits this dish.
Continue with shared ingredients, meal pairings, or a similar method.
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