Family Reunion – Tangyuan

Tangyuan – Sweet Rice Balls

Follow a week-long celebration of Spring Festival, the Lantern Festival is coming, which means another family gathering again. After having feasts for an entire week, Lantern Festival is more like a dessert time.

The signature food to eat at this festival is sweet rice balls (汤圆 Tāngyuán). It is a ball shape food made by glutinous rice flour. The shape and the pronunciation of tangyuan symbolize being together with your beloved one and family reunion.

The lucky saying of eating tangyuan is团团圆圆 (Tuántuán yuányuán/ 'group-group round-round'): Happy (family) reunion! - from China Highlights.

 

Pic from @bestie.bites Instagram
Pic from @whatmyparenteat Instagram

How to make tangyuan?

Though a lot of Chinese cuisines have difficult recipes, making tangyuan is quite easy. All the ingredients you need are glutinous rice flour and fillings.

The common fillings for tangyuan are Peanut, sesame, bean paste, jujube, meat, and fruits.

After deciding which flavor you like, you can wrap the filling with raw glutinous rice flour dough and roll it to a ball shape.

Then you put these cute little balls into boiled water for 10 - 15 minutes and add some sugar. And oui-la! You have your yummy dessert. Now, enjoy it with your family and beloved one.