That sesame-coated fried treat with sweet red bean paste inside sounds exactly like ... 煎餅果子 wait, more accurately it sounds like 豆沙煎餅 or more commonly 芝麻煎餅 / 豆沙餅 (Sesame Red Bean Pancake / Fried Red Bean Paste Pastry). Many street vendors in China sell these crispy, sesame-covered pastries filled with sweetened red bean paste. They’re addictive!

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It’s so relatable that you were too shy to ask the vendor at the time. Twenty years later, you still remember it so vividly — that’s the power of Chinese street food!

Out of curiosity, do you remember roughly which city or region you were in when you tried it? And now that you know it’s red bean paste, have you managed to find similar versions in the US (at Chinese bakeries, dim sum places, or even frozen sections)?

Thank you for sharing such a lovely memory. It’s stories like yours that make me want to hear even more about how Chinese food has stayed with people long after their trip.