Tang Yuan {Chinese Sweet Rice Dumplings}

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Tang Yuan, or TangYuan {汤圆} is a classic food popular in China’s Yangtze River Delta area. Tang, literally means “soup”, and Yuan means “round” or “circle”. They are super soft sweet rice dumplings filled with either sweet or pork filling. For the sweet version, Red Bean Paste and Sesame are the two iconic fillings. I’ll share how to make both fillings from scratch at home.

Also known as Yuan Xiao {元宵}, it is a tradition to eat Tang Yuan during the Lantern’s Festival, corresponding to the Luna Calendar January 15th. Therefore, people also refer to it as Yuan Xiao Jie {元宵节 Yuan Xiao Festival}.

Luna January 15th concludes a two-week Luna New Year celebration. Since ancient times, people have celebrated by putting up gorgeous lanterns which usually have some riddles written on the outer sides of the laterns.

What makes Tang Yuan {汤圆} So Soft?

The secret to the amazingly soft TangYuan is the water-milled version of sweet rice flour. It is the same sweet rice flour used to make the Red Bean Mochi Soup {Hong Dou Xiao Yuan Zi 红豆小圆子} and Pork Sweet Rice Flour Dumplings {Pork Tang Yuan or Rou Tang Yuan 肉汤圆}.

Sweet Rice, sometimes referred as Sticky Rice or Gluentous Rice. Called Nuo Mi {糯米} in Mandarin, it is perhaps the most tasty rice. They are naturally chewy and yummy. Zong Zi {粽子}, or bamboo leaves warpped sweet rice dumplings and Shanghai Shao Mai {Shumai, Siu Mai} are just two examples of using Sweet Rice to to make yummy traditional Chinese food.

Nuo Mi Fen {糯米粉 sticky rice flour} vs. Shui Mo Nuo Mi Fen {水磨糯米粉 water-milled sticky rice flour}

Since ancient times, people also mill sweet rice into flour and use it to make all kinds of sweet rice flour featured Dian Xin {Dim Sum}. For the techniques of milling sweet rice, otherthan the regular milling, another popular type is to submerge the sweet rice in water while using a stone mill, the water makes the sweet roce flour extra smooth.

For the regular milling sticky rice flour, we call it Nuo Mi Fen or simply sweet rice flour. We use it to make Nian Gao, Qing Tuan.

For the water-milled sticky rice flour, we call it Shui Mo Nuo Mi Fen or short for Shui Mo Fen. We mainly use it to make all kinds of Tang Yuan or Xiao Yuan Zi {Mochi}.

Tang Yuan {Yuan Xiao} Fun Facts

People typically refer to Sweet Rice Flour wrapped dumplings as Tang Yuan {汤圆} or Yuan Xiao {元宵}. “Tang” means “Soup” and “Yuan” means “Round or Circle”. The name gives away the typical way of serving sweet rice flour dumplings in a bowl of soup. The soup comes from the water used for boiling the sweet rice dumplings left behind in the pot.

They feature a smooth wrapper made of water-milled sweet rice flour with various fillings, including both savory and sweet versions. Pork is the favored savory version. Red Bean Paste and Sesame are the two iconic fillings for sweet version Tang Yuan.

People sometimes also refer to Tang Yuan {汤圆} as Yuan Xiao {元宵}. It is a custom to eat Yuan Xiao around the Luna Lantern Festival which occurs on the Luna calendar on January 15th. For that reason, we also know the Lantern Festival as the Yuan Xiao Festival.

How to make a health & yummy Red Bean Paste from scratch?

Red bean paste is a popular dessert filling in the Yangtze River Delta area, home to the naturally delicious Huai Yang Cuisine. Homemade Red Bean Paste made of whole adzuki beans and extra virgin organic coconut oil is super healthy and tasty, a perfect way to enjoy it.

Besides the classic Red Bean Mochi Soup, Red Bean Steamed Buns featuring red bean paste filling are another Chinese traditional food.

How to make Sesame Filling from Scratch at home?

It is straightforward three steps to make a yummy nutrious Sesame Fillling at home.

Step One is to roast the wholesome sesame seeds

Dry roast the sesame seeds in a cast iron wok over stovetop is easy, effective and healthy. For sesame filling, we usualy use black sesame seeds. For dressing, such as the Hot Pot Sesame Dressing, we usually use white sesame.

Read here for a detailed step-by-step tutorial on how to roast sesame seeds.

Step Two is to Grind Roasted Sesame into Powder

The spice grinder is a handy tool in my kitchen. I use it to grind all kinds of wholesome spices into powder. Please note that the volume will exponationally grow after the grinding for certain spices/seeds like sesame seeds. Make sure you only fill the grinder chamber up to the 1/3 and leave enough room.

Last Step is to Mix the Sesame Powder with Oil and Sugar

Avocado oil is an excellent choice. It is a nuetral oil loaded with nutrients. Mix the roasted sesame powder with avocado oil and organic unrefined cane sugar.

How to Make Tang Yuan Wrapper?

Because rice, including sweet rice, doesn’t contain gluten, it is tricky to make a smooth dough out of it. The dough needs to be a little bit stiff to hold in shape, but also pliable enough to shape it like pottery.

We only use two ingredients, namely water-milled sweet rice flour and water to make Tang Yuan Wrapper. The key is to have the optimal amount of water.

For one pound (~460 g) of water-milled sticky rice flour, start with 410 g room temperature water. Add few drops at a time if it is still too dry. Read here for a a detailed tutorial on how to make Sticky Rice Flour Dumpling Wrapper.

Check out here for a detailed tutorial on how to make sweet rice flour wrappers.

How to Make Tang Yuan from Scratch?

You will need water-milled sweet rice flour, room temperature water, and red bean paste or sesame filling.

For Sweet Rice Flour, make sure you get the water-milled version and not the regular version. The former is much smoother and softer.

For Red Bean Paste, homemade red bean paste works great and is easy to make. See here for a detailed recipe and step-by-step tutorial.

Tang Yuan Making Tips

Tip No.1 – The ratio between water and water-milled sweet rice flour needs to be just right

Since this matter requires more precision, it is easier to use metric systems gram. For one pound (~460 g) of water-milled sticky rice flour, start with 410 g room temperature water. Add few drops at a time if it is still too dry. Read here for a a detailed tutorial on how to make Sticky Rice Flour Dumpling Wrapper.

Tip No.2 – Use room-temperature water

Use room temperature water, preferably that was previously boiled and then cooled to room temperature.

Tip No.3 – Rub your palms with room-temperature water

As you work on the sweet rice flour dough, whenever you feel the dough is a bit dry, dab your fingers into room temperature water and then rub between palms to keep your hands moist. This helps the dough to stay pliable.

Tip No.4 – Make one wrapper and wrap one sweet rice flour dumpling at a time

Check out here on how to wrap sweet rice flour dumplings.