Chinese Glutinous Rice Balls, or Tāng Yuán (汤圆) in Mandarin, is a traditional Chinese dessert that is typically served during the Winter Solstice Festival. Read on to discover how you can easily make them at home.
INGREDIENTS
6
RECIPE STEPS
8
TOTAL TIME
40 m
Why You Need This Recipe
- Homemade Chinese Glutinous Rice Balls are healthier and fresher than store-bought options
- Making Chinese Glutinous Rice Balls at home is a fun activity to do with the family
- Impress your guests by serving them a traditional Chinese dessert
Chinese Glutinous Rice Balls (Tāng Yuán or 汤圆)
Tāng Yuán (汤圆) is a traditional Chinese dessert that is typically served during the Winter Solstice Festival (Dōng Zhì – 冬至). The Winter Solstice Festival generally falls between the 21st to the 23rd December each year and marks the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. In the Southern Hemisphere, we are actually celebrating the longest day of the year.
Chinese Glutinous Rice Balls are small, round, and chewy balls that are filled with sweet fillings and served in a hot sweet soup. Tāng Yuán is not only a delicious dessert, but it also carries a deep cultural significance for many Chinese families.
Tāng Yuán is made from Glutinous Rice Flour, which gives the balls their unique chewy texture. The balls are then filled with sweet fillings such as black sesame, red bean, or peanut butter. The dish is traditionally served in a sweet ginger soup, which is made from boiling ginger, sugar, and water.
The Story Behind The Name
Whilst the Winter Solstice Festival is when Chinese Glutinous Rice Balls are most commonly eaten, you may see Tāng Yuán being served at other Chinese events such as Lunar New Year, weddings and family gatherings.
Eating Chinese Glutinous Rice Balls as a family has a charming symbolism for closeness because the name Tāng Yuán (汤圆) is a homophone for Tuán Yuán (团圆) which means “union”. As a result, the older Chinese generations serve Chinese Glutinous Rice Balls in the hopes that the family will stay close and connected when they are not together.
Chinese & Vietnamese Heritage
Interestingly, these rice balls are very common not only in China but also throughout the rest of Asia with slight variations in the recipe.
Whilst black sesame paste is the typical filling of the Chinese variation, my mum’s family is of mixed heritage so the Glutinous Rice Balls she grew up eating was actually the Vietnamese version called Chè trôi nước. This version is filled with mung bean paste and served in a ginger syrup with coconut sauce.
Star Ingredient
Glutinous Rice Flour (Nuò Mǐ Fěn)
As its name suggests, Glutinous Rice Flour is made by grinding Glutinous (or Sticky) Rice. It is a crucial ingredient to make Tāng Yuán because it creates the sticky (waxy) texture.
READ MORE: Why Glutinous Rice Flour is such as versatile ingredient →
Other Ingredients
- Food Colouring, optional
- Black Sesame Paste
- Sugar
- Ginger
- Water
Scroll to the bottom to find the full list of ingredients and detailed recipe.
Prepping Tips
- Make sure to properly seal the filling inside the dough to prevent it from leaking out while boiling.
- Use cold water when mixing the dough to prevent it from becoming too sticky.
- You may add food colouring to the dough for some variation in colour.
Complete Recipe Steps
Here’s a summary of the steps you need to follow to make Chinese Glutinous Rice Balls (汤圆).
1
In a mixing bowl, combine the glutinous rice flour and water. Mix until the dough forms a ball. If the dough is too dry then add more water, one tablespoon at a time, until you get a dough that seamlessly bonds with itself without sticking to your hands. If using colouring, you can incorporate a few drops into the dough at this stage.
2
Divide the dough into small portions and roll each portion into a ball.
Scroll to the bottom for the printable recipe card
3
Flatten each ball with a rolling pin and place a small amount of black sesame paste and sugar filling in the centre.
4
5
6
7
8
How to Serve Chinese Glutinous Rice Balls
Tāng Yuán is typically served in a bowl of hot ginger soup. The balls can also be served cold or even fried for a different texture.
Recipe FAQs
Can Chinese Glutinous Rice Balls be made ahead of time?
Yes, you can freeze uncooked Glutinous Rice Balls for up to 1 month.
Can I use a different filling for my Glutinous Rice Balls?
Yes, feel free to experiment with different sweet fillings such as red bean paste, mung bean paste or peanut butter.
If you’re inclined, you can even experiment with chocolate, fruit, or custard for a unique twist on a traditional recipe.
Printable Recipe Card
Chinese Glutinous Rice Balls make up a delicious and meaningful dish in Chinese culture. Making these rice balls at home is a fun and rewarding experience that can be shared with family and friends.
Chinese Glutinous Rice Balls (Tāng Yuán or 汤圆)
Ingredients
For the dough
- 1 cup glutinous rice flour
- ½ cup water plus 1-2 tbsp extra as needed
- food colouring optional
For the filling
- ½ cup black sesame paste
- ¼ cup sugar
For the soup
- 4 cups water
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 knob ginger (approximately 8 cm), sliced
Complete Recipe Steps
- In a mixing bowl, combine the glutinous rice flour and water. Mix until the dough forms a ball. If the dough is too dry then add more water, one tablespoon at a time, until you get a dough that seamlessly bonds with itself without sticking to your hands. If using colouring, you can incorporate a few drops into the dough at this stage.1 cup glutinous rice flour, ½ cup water, food colouring
- Divide the dough into small portions and roll each portion into a ball.
- Flatten each ball with a rolling pin and place a small amount of black sesame paste and sugar filling in the centre.½ cup black sesame paste, ¼ cup sugar
- Seal the filling inside the dough by pinching the edges together.
- In a pot, bring the water, sugar, and ginger to a boil.4 cups water, ½ cup sugar, 1 knob ginger
- Drop the rice balls into the boiling water and stir gently to prevent sticking.
- Cook for 3-5 minutes or until the rice balls float to the surface.
- Serve the Chinese Glutinous Rice Balls in a bowl of hot ginger soup.
Notes
- Use a little bit of food colouring in the glutinous rice dough to get some variety in the colour. The most common traditional colours for Chinese Glutinous Rice Balls are white, pink, green and sometimes, yellow.
- If the glutinous rice dough is too sticky, coat your hands with a small amount of glutinous rice flour before rolling the dough into balls.
- It's important to properly seal the filling inside the dough to prevent it from leaking out while it is boiling.
- If you're making Chinese Glutinous Rice Balls ahead of time, you can freeze uncooked Chinese Glutinous Rice Balls for up to 1 month.
- You can experiment with different sweet fillings such as chocolate, fruit, or custard for a unique twist on the traditional recipe.
- Chinese Glutinous Rice Balls can also be served hot, cold or fried for a different texture.
