Tang Yuan (汤圆) are glutinous rice balls served in sweet soup, traditionally eaten during the Winter Solstice festival (冬至, Dong Zhi). They come in plain white or coloured varieties, sometimes filled with black sesame or peanut paste, and symbolise family reunion and togetherness.

When are Tang Yuan eaten?

Tang Yuan are traditionally eaten during Dong Zhi (Winter Solstice), which falls around 21–23 December each year. Malaysian Chinese families gather to roll and cook Tang Yuan together, making it a family bonding occasion that marks the longest night of the year.

Tang Yuan | Roots & Traditions

What It Is

Tang Yuan (汤圆) are small glutinous rice balls, hand-rolled and served in a sweet broth, usually made from ginger, pandan, and rock sugar. They are the defining food of Dong Zhi (冬至), the Winter Solstice, which falls around 21–22 December each year.

The shape is the message. Round means complete, whole, and unified. Families sit together to roll the rice balls by hand, pinching off small pieces of dough, rolling them between the palms until smooth, and the act of making them together is understood to be as important as eating them. A family that rolls Tang Yuan together is a family that stays round and whole.

Tang Yuan can be plain white or pink (sometimes yellow or green, depending on natural colouring used), and are served either unfilled in a sweet ginger broth or filled with sesame paste, peanut, or red bean. Cantonese families tend to prefer the filled version; Hokkien families often serve them plain in a light ginger broth.

Dong Zhi: The Occasion

Dong Zhi is one of the most important festivals in the Chinese calendar, arguably more important than Chinese New Year in some traditional households. It marks the longest night of the year, after which the days grow longer again. It is a festival of reunion, warmth, and gratitude for the year that is drawing to a close.

In Malaysia, Dong Zhi is a working day, but families still find their way back together for an evening. The Tang Yuan are made in the afternoon and eaten after dinner. In some households, a small portion is offered at the altar first.

The Heritage Food

Tang Yuan: Glutinous Rice Balls in Ginger Syrup

⏱ Prep: 25 min 🔥 Cook: 10 min 🍽 Serves: 4

Dough

200 g glutinous rice flour
160 ml warm water (add gradually)
Food colouring, pink or pandan green (optional)

Black Sesame Filling

80 g black sesame seeds, toasted and ground
3 tbsp caster sugar
40 g unsalted butter or lard, softened

Ginger Syrup

800 ml water
80 g rock sugar, or to taste
3 slices fresh ginger
2 pandan leaves, knotted (optional)

Method

Mix ground sesame seeds, caster sugar, and softened butter together into a paste. Refrigerate for 15 minutes until firm, then roll into small balls of about 8 g each.
Knead glutinous rice flour with warm water, adding the water gradually, until a smooth and pliable dough forms; it should feel soft like playdough and not stick to your hands. Divide and tint with colouring if desired.
Pinch off a piece of dough (about 15 g), flatten it into a disc in your palm, place a sesame filling ball in the centre, and seal the edges by pinching upward. Roll gently between both palms until smooth and round.
For the ginger syrup, combine water, rock sugar, ginger slices, and pandan leaves in a pot. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes until fragrant and lightly sweetened.
In a separate pot of plain boiling water, cook the tang yuan until they float to the surface, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer into the ginger syrup.
Serve warm in bowls with a generous ladle of the ginger syrup.

💡 Plain (unfilled) tang yuan are equally traditional: simply omit the filling and roll the dough into small balls. Many families serve a mix of filled and plain together. The dough should be adjusted with small amounts of water or flour until it holds its shape without cracking.