Small glutinous rice flour balls filled with sweet black sesame paste, served in a warm, lightly sweetened broth.

المقادير

1.5 cups glutinous rice flour

Warm water as needed (about 3/4 cup)

1/2 cup toasted black sesame seeds, ground

1/4 cup sugar

3 tbsp softened butter or lard

6 cups water

A little brown sugar and ginger slices for the broth

خطوات التحضير

Mix the ground black sesame with sugar and butter into a firm paste, and chill for 20 minutes to make it easier to roll into small balls.

Knead the glutinous rice flour with warm water gradually until you get a soft, non-sticky dough like clay.

Divide the dough into small balls, hollow each one, fill with a small ball of sesame paste, seal well, and roll smooth.

Boil water with brown sugar and ginger to make the broth.

Boil the tang yuan balls in water until they float to the surface (3-4 minutes).

Serve the balls hot in bowls of warm broth.

نصيحة

Seal each ball's filling completely — even a tiny gap will let the hot melted filling leak out during boiling.

Tang yuan is a traditional Chinese sweet served especially during the Lantern Festival and the Winter Solstice Festival (Dongzhi), its round shape symbolizing family reunion and harmony, since it sounds like the Chinese word «tuanyuan», meaning reunion.

Small balls of glutinous rice flour dough are stuffed with a sweet paste (commonly black sesame or red bean), then boiled until they float to the surface, and served in a warm, lightly sweetened broth sometimes scented with ginger.