The Lantern Festival is the 15th day of the first Chinese lunar month, which also marks the end of the Chinese New Year. It is a tradition to eat ‘tangyuan’(glutinous rice ball) in the Lantern Festival as it symbolizes wholeness and togetherness. The ‘tangyuan’ is typically filled with sweet red bean paste, sesame paste, or peanut butter and round in shape. Here’s a simple recipe for you to make glutinous rice balls with peanut butter fillings!

  
INGREDIENTS

236g glutinous rice, sticky rice flour

180ml (3/4 cup) water

FILLING:

85g ground peanuts

3 1/2 tablespoons fine sugar

3 1/2 tablespoons peanut butter

GINGER SYRUP (姜茶):

5 cups water, reduced to 4 cups after boiling

1 cup sugar

115g old ginger, skin peeled and then lightly pounded with the flat side of a cleaver

OPTIONAL- 2 pandan leaves (tie them into a knot)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. First of all, combine all the ingredients of the Filling in one bowl. Mix them until they can be rolled into a ball-shape easily. If you feel the filling ingredient is a little bit dry, you may add in some peanut butter! After that, you can divide the filling into 24 balls. 

  
2. Next, mix the glutinous rice flour with water in another big bowl. You have to rub the dough until it no longer sticks to your hands. After that, divide the dough equally into 24 balls. Press on each ball and make them flatten in your palm. 

3. Put the Filling balls (in Step 1) in the middle of the flatten balls (in Step 2).  Then, fold the edge to seal the balls. 

4. Almost the end! You can use your palms to roll the balls again into a round ball-shape. Please make sure you are using very soft and gentle force. Then set it aside.

  
5. The ginger syrup is very simple to make. Boil the water in a pot and add in ginger and pandan leaves (optional). Adjust the heat to medium heat and boil it for 10-15 minutes. Then, add in sugar and boil the water with lower heat for another 5 minutes. If you feel the soup is a little bit tasteless, you may add in more sugar.

  
6. Boil another pot of boiling water. Put in all the ‘tangyuan’ slowly and softly. Once they appear and float on the top of the boiling water, you may take them out and put them into the ginger syrup. That's all and it is done!

*Recipe from RASAMALAYSIA

This recipe is only 111 calories per serving and the cooking time is only around 30 minutes! Happy Lantern Festival to everyone and let us enjoy this ‘tangyuan’ together!