Full moon, lanterns and romance

Yuanxiao－sweet sticky balls is the dish of the Lantern Festival while caidengmi－guessing lantern riddles is the game of the day.[Photo provided to China Daily]

This is also the last day for temple fairs, where artisans and artists show off their skills and products. For a fortnight, they have sold traditional snacks and drinks, showed off their acrobatic and singing skills and sold balloons, toys and sweets to indulgent parents.

Once the holidays end, their audiences will go back to work.

But wherever you are, in China or abroad, there is something you must do on this day - eat yuanxiao.

These sweet sticky balls are made with glutinous rice flour and normally would be filled with peanuts, red bean paste, black sesame paste or just plain crushed rock sugar.

They represent the completeness of life, the sweetness of living.

In the frugal north, the filled rice balls are cooked in just water, but southerners prefer their yuanxiao boiled and served in flavored sweet soups, spiced with ginger maybe, or a hint of cinnamon.

Traditions do evolve, with distance

Growing up in Singapore, handling a bowl of hot soup on a warm humid night was not a favored option. For that reason, my grandmother often served yuanxiao on its own, rolled in crushed peanuts or sweetened coconut flakes, taking on the tropical flavors of our equatorial home. Here is her recipe for you to try.

Yuanxiao Sweet glutinous rice balls

500g glutinous rice flour

1 cup warm water

1 cup salted peanuts, chopped

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup desiccated coconut, sweetened

Place glutinous rice flour in a mixing bowl and slowly add water till it forms a pliable dough. It should hold together and not break apart. If you like, you can divide the dough into portions and tint with food coloring. Mix together crushed peanuts and brown sugar.

Take a piece of dough and form into a circle, adding a spoonful of peanut mixture in the center. Close the circle and roll into a ball, making sure the filling is tightly enclosed.

Drop into boiling water to cook. When the little balls float, they are ready.

Roll the balls in the remaining peanut-sugar mixture, or roll in the desiccated coconut. Serve with Chinese tea. If you prefer the sweet soup version, prepare the syrup in a separate pot.

Fill a saucepan with water and add a piece of peeled ginger, lightly crushed. Add enough rock sugar to sweeten to your taste. Keep the sweet soup simmering. Once the yuanxiao are cooked, place a few into a bowl and ladle over the sweet soup. Serve immediately.

 

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