Tang Yuan

Tang Yuan (Glutinous Rice Balls in Ginger Syrup)

Soft, chewy glutinous rice flour dumplings filled with black sesame paste, gently boiled and served in a sweet, gingery syrup. A classic Lantern Festival dessert symbolising family reunion and togetherness.

Prep

30 min

Cook

15 min

Total

45 min

Serves

4 (makes 12-14 tang yuan)

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •150 g (1 cup plus 1 tbsp) glutinous rice flour, also called sweet rice flour; do not substitute with regular rice flour
• •100 g (⅓ cup) black sesame seeds, toasted, or use 70g pre-roasted
• •50 g (¼ cup) granulated sugar, for the filling
• •30 g (2 tbsp) unsalted butter, or lard, softened
• •110 ml (scant ½ cup) hot water, for the dough, plus more as needed
• •80 g (⅓ cup) rock sugar or granulated sugar, for the syrup
• •30 g (1 piece (about 30 g)) fresh ginger, smashed with the side of a knife
• •1.2 L (5 cups) water, for the syrup
• •2 stalks pandan leaves, optional, tied into a knot for aroma; skip if unavailable

Steps

1. 1 Make the filling: in a dry pan over medium-low heat, toast the black sesame seeds for 3-5 minutes until fragrant and you hear a few popping sounds. Transfer to a food processor while still warm, add the 50 g sugar, and blend until finely ground. Add the softened butter and blend until a thick, cohesive paste forms. If too dry, add 1 tsp melted butter. Scoop into a small bowl and chill in the freezer for 15-20 minutes until firm enough to roll.
2. 2 Divide the chilled sesame paste into 12-14 equal balls (about 8-9 g each), then return to the freezer while you make the dough.
3. 3 Make the dough: place the glutinous rice flour in a large bowl. Gradually pour in the 110 ml hot water while stirring with chopsticks or a fork, then mix and knead by hand until a soft, pliable dough forms with no dry patches. If the dough is too dry, add hot water 1 tsp at a time; if sticky, dust with a little more glutinous rice flour. Cover with a damp cloth to prevent drying.
4. 4 Pinch off a piece of dough about 25 g and roll into a smooth ball. Flatten it into a thick disc (about 5 cm / 2 in across) in the palm of your hand. Place one chilled sesame ball in the centre and gently wrap the dough around it, pinching the seam closed. Roll between your palms to make a perfectly smooth, round ball. Place on a parchment-lined tray and repeat with the remaining dough and filling. Work with one piece at a time, keeping the rest covered.
5. 5 Bring a wide pot of water to a rolling boil. Lower the tang yuan into the water a few at a time (do not crowd) and stir gently once to keep them from sticking to the bottom. When they float to the surface, cook for another 2-3 minutes; they are done when they feel slightly bouncy and pillowy and look translucent-ish with no raw white core. Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to the warm syrup.
6. 6 Make the syrup: while the tang yuan are cooking, combine the 1.2 L water, rock sugar, smashed ginger, and pandan leaves (if using) in a separate pot. Bring to a gentle simmer for 5-10 minutes until the sugar is fully dissolved and the syrup is lightly fragrant.
7. 7 To serve: ladle the warm tang yuan and a generous amount of ginger syrup into individual bowls. They are best eaten hot, when the dough is at its silkiest and chewiest.