Glutinous rice dumplings, or tang yuan (汤圆, literally “soup balls”), are traditionally eaten during the Chinese Winter Solstice Festival and on the last day of Chinese New Year. It is said that the little dumplings nestled together in a single bowl are a symbol of family closeness and togetherness – a very fitting message at reunions and festive gatherings. It’s worth knowing how to make your own homemade tang yuan from scratch!
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What makes homemade tang yuan so satisfying
Made using glutinous rice flour for that prized chewy factor, the small dumpling balls are often filled with a sweetened paste before being boiled in a sweet ginger soup. Popular dumpling fillings include ground black sesame, red bean paste and peanut paste. The best part about making your own tang yuan from scratch is that you get to pick your own fillings to suit your taste. Sweet versions are common, but savoury dumplings also exist and are popular at family gatherings in the Southern regions of China.
These springy pillows of chewy goodness explode in a taste and textural sensation of ground peanut and sugar when you bite into them. The dough is sometimes dyed red, green or yellow with food colouring before the dumplings are formed and cooked. The result is in an eye-catching bowl of colourful balls in sweet ginger broth.
Homemade Tang Yuan (Glutinous Rice Dumplings) + Sweet Ginger Syrup
Course: Dessert, SnackCuisine: ChineseDifficulty: EasyEaten on the last day of Chinese New Year, these traditional dumplings are perfectly chewy and soft. Learn to make your own peanut-filled tang yuan in sweet ginger soup.
Ingredients
- Peanut Filling
1/4 cup caster sugar
1/2 cup coarsely ground peanuts
1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- Dumpling Dough
cold water
2 1/2 cups glutinous rice flour
- Ginger Soup
3 slices fresh ginger
several large pieces of rock sugar, to taste
Preparation
- To make the sweet peanut filling, combine the ground peanuts, sugar and butter together until an even paste forms. Create small ¾ inch balls. If the paste is too dry, add a little more butter to the mixture. Place the prepared balls in the fridge to chill while you prepare the dumpling dough.
- Combine the glutinous rice flour with just enough cold water until the dough comes together and has a firm yet malleable consistency (similar to play dough).
- Roll some dough into a ball about 1½ inches thick. Geasing your hands with some peanut oil helps prevent the dough from sticking to your palms. Flatten the ball into a large even circle, place a piece of the prepared peanut paste in the centre and wrap the dough around it. Make sure the dumplings are sealed well, then lightly roll into a ball shape. Repeat this process until all the dough is used up.
- Fill a pot with 3 to 4 cups of water and add the slices of ginger and rock sugar to taste. Place the pot over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Once the pieces of rock sugar are fully dissolved, gently place the dumplings in the water. Boil the dumplings for about 5 minutes, or until they float to the surface.
- Immediately transfer the cooked dumplings into a bowl of cold water to stop them from overcooking (this helps them maintain their springy texture). When ready to eat, serve the dumplings in a bowl of the hot ginger soup.
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