Yuanxiao, tangyuan, and the Lantern Festival

The Lantern Festival falls on February 24 this year, which is the fifteenth day of the first month in the traditional Chinese calendar and also marks the first full moon of the year.

The festival has a long history but today is commonly celebrated by appreciating lanterns and eating delicious sticky rice balls. The festival marks the end of the Spring Festival celebrations and the beginning of a new spring.

Two types of delicious sticky rice balls, tangyuan and yuanxiao, take center stage on the dining table that day. Although they look similar, there are some differences between tangyuan and yuanxiao.

People in the north of China eat yuanxiao at the Lantern Festival, while southerners prefer tangyuan. To many people they look the same, but the way they are made is different.

Tangyuan are made by wrapping the filling in sticky rice flour, similar to making dumplings, while yuanxiao are formed by sprinkling the filling with water and then rolling it in a container filled with sticky rice flour.

The fillings used in tangyuan and yuanxiao also have some differences. The fillings for tangyuan can be sweet or salty, with various options such as sesame, peanuts, or meat. In contrast, the fillings used in yuanxiao tend to be more solid in texture, using materials like sugar, sesame, and osmanthus.

One result of the cooking methods is that yuanxiao usually produces a thick broth after being boiled, while tangyuan produces a thinner soup.

Despite these differences, they both are made of sticky rice flour and are in round shape, which symbolizes unity and happiness.

As well as appreciating lanterns and praying for good luck, be sure to try some of these sticky rice balls and express your good wishes for the Year of the Dragon.