HolisticGirl
Arnold
Lara MTang Yuan - Chinese Dessert
September 9th 2008 01:30
Tang Yuan in Sweet Osmanthus Wine Soup
Tang Yuan aka Tong Yuen literally means 'round dumplings in soup' and is a popular Chinese dessert made from glutinous rice and water to form round dumplings / balls (usually the size of a small ping pong ball) with fillings such as crushed peanuts and sugar, brown sugar, black sesame paste and red bean paste.
Unfilled Tang Yuans are usually much smaller in size than their filled counterparts but both forms of Tang Yuans are equally as common and popular for their different applications. Filled dumplings are cooked in boiling water and most commonly served with a sweet dessert soup such as red bean soup, black sesame soup and ginger and rock sugar with sweet potatoes soup.
Tang Yuan in Sweet Osmanthus Wine Soup
Unfilled dumplings, which are more chewy, are most commonly served with a soup made from fermented rice, Sweet Osmanthus and rock sugar. This popular Shanghainese dessert must use unfilled Tang Yuans so that there are no sweet fillings to ruin or overpower the clean and crisp taste of the soup.
Tang Yuans are also served alone and without the sweet soup but can taste and look a bit drab so they are usually sprinkled with a mixture of chopped peanuts, sugar, shredded coconut and white sesame seeds to add a bit of texture and flavour.
Tang Yuan with Black Sesame Paste filling
In the old days, Tang Yuans were mostly eaten on special occasions such as Dong Zhi (Winter Solstice Festival), and during special family gatherings or reunions - as a symbol of unity. Today, most families still practice these customs but the popularity and availability of these dumplings means that they can be eaten whenever one chooses.
Freshly made uncooked Tang Yuan
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