Tangyuan — Lantern Festival Style

Tangyuan and yuánxiāo are both glutinous rice balls associated with the Lantern Festival (Yuánxiāo Jié, the 15th day of the first lunar month) and the Winter Solstice festival (Dōngzhì), but they differ in production method and regional association.

Tangyuan (southern style, associated with Shanghai, Ningbo and Guangdong) are made by wrapping a flattened disc of glutinous rice dough around a filling, then rolling smooth into a ball. Common fillings include black sesame paste mixed with lard and sugar — nutty, rich and intensely fragrant — and peanut butter, red bean paste or a mixture of preserved egg yolk and lard. Freshly made tangyuan have a smooth surface; they are boiled in plain water until they float, then transferred to a serving bowl with the cooking broth or a separate sweet ginger soup.

Yuánxiāo (northern style) are produced differently: a solid ball of filling is moistened and placed in a large flat sieve of dry glutinous rice flour; the sieve is shaken so the filling rolls through the flour, picking up successive layers, until it is fully coated. The resulting surface is rougher and more uneven than the wrapped tangyuan.

In both cases the round shape is associated with family reunion, wholeness and the full moon — the Lantern Festival falls on the first full moon of the lunar year.

Savoury versions exist in Shanghai (pork and water chestnut filling, served in broth) and in Sichuan (pork-stuffed, served in mild soup). These are less common than the sweet versions.

Ningbo is particularly associated with tangyuan production; the frozen Ningbo-style tangyuan from Sanquan and similar brands are sold in supermarkets year-round.