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Tangyuan

February 12th, 2009

Tangyuan (also known as Kuih Ee) is a Chinese dessert made from glutinous rice flour. It is traditionally eaten on Dong Zhi, the Winter Solstice Festival.  Dong Zhi signals the start of winter and was celebrated as the start of the Chinese New Year, a long, long time ago.  That is why some Chinese still eat tangyuan on Dong Zhi, whereas others eat it during Chinese New Year (either on the first day, or on Chap Goh Mei, the 15th and last day of the first lunar month).

Tangyuan symbolizes ‘sweet reunion’ – its round shape a symbol of completeness, harmony and unity within the family, so it is sometimes also eaten during other special occasions when family members come together, such as during the Lantern Festival, or birthdays.

Some of our elders also believe that the eating of tangyuan is to remind us that we’re a year older, and to look forward to the coming year, perhaps with a resolution to do better, or just a wish for a fulfilling year ahead.

Basic tangyuan are plain (no filling) and very simple to make (glutinous rice flour + water + optional food colouring = dough –> formed into small balls, cooked in boiling water, and served in a syrup or sweet dessert soup).  Some prefer tangyuan with filling, such as red bean or black sesame paste.