Traditional Chinese dessert
For the Chinese Festival during which this food is traditionally eaten, see
Lantern Festival.
Tangyuan |
Alternative names | Yuanxiao |
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Place of origin | China |
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Region or state | East Asia |
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Main ingredients | Glutinous rice flour |
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Variations | Regional variants differing in ingredients and method |
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Other information | Traditionally consumed during Yuanxiao (Lantern Festival) |
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Tangyuan are a traditional Chinese dessert made of glutinous rice shaped into balls that are served in a hot broth or syrup. They come in varying sizes, anything between a marble to a ping-pong ball,[1] and are sometimes stuffed with filling. Tangyuan are traditionally eaten during the Lantern Festival,[2] but because the name is a homophone for reunion (traditional Chinese: 團圓; simplified Chinese: 团圆; pinyin: tuányuán) and symbolizes togetherness and completeness, this dish is also served at weddings, family reunions, Chinese New Year, and the Dōngzhì (winter solstice) festival.[3]