Tang Yuan (Chinese Glutinous Rice Balls in Ginger Soup)

About This Recipe

Tang yuan are eaten to mark reunion and togetherness in Chinese culture, their round shape symbolizing family wholeness, traditionally served during the Lantern Festival and the winter solstice. The dough, made from glutinous rice flour and water, is naturally chewy and slightly springy, formed around a filling of sweetened black sesame paste that turns molten and fragrant once the balls are boiled. Served floating in a warm, gently spiced ginger syrup, tang yuan offers a comforting contrast between the soft, chewy exterior, the rich filling, and the clean, warming sweetness of the surrounding broth.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 2 cupsglutinous rice flour
• 3/4 cupwarm water(approximate, as needed)
• 1/2 cupblack sesame powder(for filling)
• 1/4 cupsugar(for filling)
• 3 tbspsoftened butter or lard(for filling)
• 5 cupswater(for syrup)
• 1 cupfresh ginger(sliced, for syrup)
• 1/2 cuprock sugar or brown sugar(for syrup)

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the filling

   Mix black sesame powder, sugar and softened butter into a smooth, thick paste; refrigerate 20 minutes until firm enough to roll into small balls.

2. 2

   Make the dough

   Gradually stir warm water into the glutinous rice flour until a smooth, soft, pliable dough forms.

3. 3

   Shape

   Roll the dough into small balls, flatten each in your palm, place a small ball of sesame filling in the center, then wrap the dough around it and roll smooth, sealing completely.

   Seal the dough completely around the filling — any exposed sesame paste will leak out and make the boiling water cloudy and greasy.

4. 4

   Make the ginger syrup

   Simmer water with sliced ginger for 20 minutes, then strain out the ginger and stir in the rock sugar until dissolved.

5. 5

   Cook the tang yuan

   Bring a separate pot of water to a boil and gently drop in the filled rice balls, cooking until they float to the surface, about 5-6 minutes.

6. 6

   Serve

   Ladle the warm ginger syrup into bowls and add the cooked tang yuan.

Variations

• •

  A savory version, common in southern China, fills the balls with minced pork instead of sweet sesame.

• •

  Plain, unfilled tang yuan are simpler to make and just as traditional, especially for everyday eating.

• •

  Peanut paste is a popular alternative filling to black sesame.

Storage

Uncooked, filled tang yuan freeze exceptionally well; boil directly from frozen, adding a couple of extra minutes. Cooked tang yuan are best eaten fresh, as the dough firms up once cooled.

Frequently Asked Questions