Tang Yuan 汤圆 and Yuan Xiao 元宵 are must-have delicious glutinous rice balls eaten during the Chinese Lantern Festival, and shared within families. Even a lot of Chinese people think that Yuanxiao and Tangyuan are the same food. Actually, they are very similar; both are sticky rice balls with fillings, but the fundamental differences lie in their making, fillings, cooking, and storage.
1. Making:
Yuanxiao is rolled in a basket; its surface tends to be dry and soft.
The first step of making Yuanxiao is preparing the solid fillings, and then it is cut into small pieces. After dipping in water, fillings are rolled in a flat basket containing dry glutinous rice flour. The step is repeated until the wrapper is thick enough; the ball grows into a big, round shape.
[Yuanxiao] Yuan Xiao
Tangyuan is kneaded by hand, its surface is smooth and glutinous.
Tangyuan is made of a glutinous rice wrapper covering fillings. The method is like making dumplings, and it is kneaded into a round ball.
[Tangyuan] Tang Yuan
2. Fillings: Yuanxiao has sweet and solid fillings.
Yuanxiao is usually made of sesame and bean paste, and fruit fillings are very common now.
Tangyuan has a variety of soft fillings.
Tangyuan has two different tastes, made of glutinous flour with sweet or salty stuffing. Sweet fillings include bean paste, jujube paste, and sesame sugar, while salty fillings are minced meat with crushed peanut or mushroom and other mixtures.
3. Cooking: Yuanxiao is served in a thick broth after at least 10 minutes’ cooking. Tangyuan is served in a thinner soup, and cooked for only 5 minutes.
4. Storage: Yuanxiao has a short durability period.
In northern China, Yuanxiao is making and sold on that day, for it will easily crack when refrigerated.
Tangyuan has a longer durability period.
Tangyuan can be kept in cold storage for a very long time, so quick-frozen Tangyuan is sold in supermarkets.
https://www.chinaeducationaltours.com/guide/chinese-lantern-festival-differences-yuanxiao-tangyuan.htm
Tang Yuan 汤圆 and Yuan Xiao 元宵 are must-have delicious glutinous rice balls eaten during the Chinese Lantern Festival, and shared within families. Even a lot of Chinese people think that Yuanxiao and Tangyuan are the same food. Actually, they are very similar; both are sticky rice balls with fillings, but the fundamental differences lie in their making, fillings, cooking, and storage.
1. Making:
Yuanxiao is rolled in a basket; its surface tends to be dry and soft.
The first step of making Yuanxiao is preparing the solid fillings, and then it is cut into small pieces. After dipping in water, fillings are rolled in a flat basket containing dry glutinous rice flour. The step is repeated until the wrapper is thick enough; the ball grows into a big, round shape.
[Yuanxiao] Yuan Xiao
Tangyuan is kneaded by hand, its surface is smooth and glutinous.
Tangyuan is made of a glutinous rice wrapper covering fillings. The method is like making dumplings, and it is kneaded into a round ball.
[Tangyuan] Tang Yuan
2. Fillings:
Yuanxiao has sweet and solid fillings.
Yuanxiao is usually made of sesame and bean paste, and fruit fillings are very common now.
Tangyuan has a variety of soft fillings.
Tangyuan has two different tastes, made of glutinous flour with sweet or salty stuffing. Sweet fillings include bean paste, jujube paste, and sesame sugar, while salty fillings are minced meat with crushed peanut or mushroom and other mixtures.
3. Cooking:
Yuanxiao is served in a thick broth after at least 10 minutes’ cooking.
Tangyuan is served in a thinner soup, and cooked for only 5 minutes.
4. Storage:
Yuanxiao has a short durability period.
In northern China, Yuanxiao is making and sold on that day, for it will easily crack when refrigerated.
Tangyuan has a longer durability period.
Tangyuan can be kept in cold storage for a very long time, so quick-frozen Tangyuan is sold in supermarkets.
有很多东西，红糖，核糖，芝麻什么的，不可能切成块状，都是用手攥成团，但确实是用干江米面一层层裹起来，用手压实。
我想南方包括台湾都是做汤圆，用水和江米面，用手把面团捏成饼状，往里装馅。
我是北方人，吃元宵只能吃甜味的，肉馅的元宵，月饼都不太喜欢。