Peanut Tang Yuan in Sweet Ginger Soup Recipe

Introduction

Peanut Tang Yuan is a delightful traditional Asian dessert featuring soft glutinous rice balls filled with a sweet peanut filling, served in a fragrant ginger and pandan sweet soup. This comforting treat is perfect for chilly days or festive occasions.

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup raw peanuts
• 3 tbsp castor sugar
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 4 cups water
• 4 inch ginger
• 4 pandan leaves
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 6 tbsp granulated or castor sugar
• 1 1/4 cups glutinous rice flour
• 1/2 cup warm water

Instructions

1. Step 1: Spread peanuts on a frying pan over low-medium heat. Stir constantly and toast until golden brown. Remove from heat and let cool completely.
2. Step 2: Pulse the cooled peanuts in a food processor a few times until finely powdered. Avoid overgrinding to prevent turning into peanut butter.
3. Step 3: In a medium bowl, combine peanut powder, castor sugar, salt, and vegetable oil. Mix well to form the peanut filling. Refrigerate until firm.
4. Step 4: In a large pot, add water, ginger slices, and pandan leaves. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 15-30 minutes for a fragrant ginger soup.
5. Step 5: Stir in brown sugar and granulated sugar until dissolved. Remove pandan leaves and ginger slices. Turn off the heat.
6. Step 6: Place glutinous rice flour in a large bowl. Gradually add warm water while mixing. Knead until smooth and pliable, adding a little more water if dough is too dry but avoid making it too wet.
7. Step 7: Dust your work surface with glutinous rice flour. Divide dough into two halves. Cover one half to keep moist. Shape the other into a log, then cut into 12 equal pieces and roll each into a ball. Cover to prevent drying.
8. Step 8: Flatten one dough ball with your thumb to create a small bowl shape. Add 1 teaspoon of peanut filling in the center. Carefully wrap dough around filling, pinch to seal, and roll into a smooth ball. Place on floured tray. Repeat for all balls to make 24 in total.
9. Step 9: Either freeze the shaped balls for later use or cook immediately by boiling them in a pot of water until they float to the surface.
10. Step 10: Transfer cooked tang yuan into the sweet ginger soup. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Tips & Variations

• For a richer peanut flavor, lightly roast the peanuts until golden but not burnt.
• If you don’t have pandan leaves, you can omit them; the ginger alone will provide a nice aroma.
• Freeze uncooked tang yuan on a tray before storing in a sealed bag to prevent sticking.
• Try substituting the peanut filling with black sesame paste for a different traditional variation.

Storage

Store leftover cooked tang yuan in an airtight container with some ginger soup in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat gently on the stove or microwave before serving to maintain texture. Uncooked balls can be frozen for up to 1 month; boil directly from frozen.

How to Serve

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I use roasted peanuts instead of raw peanuts?

Yes, but make sure they are unsalted and not flavored to keep the filling balanced. You can reduce toasting time if peanuts are pre-roasted.

How do I know when the tang yuan are cooked?

They are fully cooked when they float to the surface of the boiling water. Let them cook for an additional 1-2 minutes after floating to ensure the filling is warmed through.

Peanut Tang Yuan in Sweet Ginger Soup Recipe

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★★★★★

4.7 from 370 reviews

• Author: anna
• Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
• Yield: 24 servings 1x
• Diet: Vegetarian

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Description

Peanut Tang Yuan is a traditional Chinese dessert featuring sticky glutinous rice balls filled with a sweet and nutty peanut filling, served in a fragrant sweet ginger and pandan leaf soup. This recipe combines the crunch and flavor of toasted peanuts with the chewy texture of glutinous rice dough, simmered to perfection in a soothing ginger broth sweetened with brown and granulated sugar.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Peanut Filling

• 3/4 cup raw peanuts
• 3 tbsp castor sugar
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil

Sweet Ginger Soup

• 4 cups water
• 4 inch ginger, sliced
• 4 pandan leaves
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 6 tbsp granulated/castor sugar

Glutinous Rice Balls

• 1 1/4 cups glutinous rice flour
• 1/2 cup warm water

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Instructions

1. Toast Peanuts: Spread the raw peanuts in a frying pan and heat them over low to medium heat. Stir constantly to ensure even cooking and toast until golden brown. Remove from heat and let them cool completely before processing.
2. Prepare Peanut Filling: Place the cooled toasted peanuts in a food processor and pulse a few times to grind them into a fine powder—avoid over-processing to prevent turning into peanut butter. In a medium bowl, combine peanut powder, castor sugar, salt, and vegetable oil, mixing well until fully incorporated. Refrigerate the filling until firm enough to handle.
3. Make Sweet Ginger Soup: In a large pot, add water, sliced ginger, and pandan leaves. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 to 30 minutes to infuse the flavors. Stir in brown sugar and granulated sugar until dissolved. Remove and discard the pandan leaves and ginger slices. Keep the soup warm.
4. Prepare Glutinous Rice Dough: Place glutinous rice flour in a large bowl. Gradually add warm water, mixing thoroughly after each addition. Initially, the dough will seem dry; resist the urge to add extra water. Knead the dough until smooth and pliable, adding a bit more water if needed but ensuring it isn’t too wet to maintain shape integrity.
5. Shape Dough and Fill: Dust work surface with a little glutinous rice flour. Divide the dough evenly into two portions. Cover one portion with plastic wrap to prevent drying. Roll the other into a log and cut into 12 equal pieces. Shape each into a ball and cover to keep moist. For each ball, make an indentation with your thumb, place 1 teaspoon of peanut filling inside, then carefully stretch the dough around the filling, pinching to seal. Roll again until smooth. Place on a floured tray and cover to prevent drying. Repeat until 24 balls are made.
6. Cook Tang Yuan: Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Gently add the glutinous rice balls and cook until they float to the surface, indicating they are done.
7. Serve: Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cooked tang yuan balls into the prepared sweet ginger soup. Serve warm or at room temperature for the best experience.

Notes

• Chilling the peanut filling makes it easier to handle and shape inside the dough balls.
• Be cautious not to over-grind peanuts when making the filling to avoid peanut butter consistency.
• Simmering the ginger soup longer intensifies the ginger flavor.
• If the dough is too dry or cracking, add water sparingly to achieve pliability.
• Tang yuan can be frozen after shaping for convenience and cooked later without losing quality.
• Maintain a lightly floured surface and cover dough and balls properly to prevent drying out.

• Prep Time: 40 minutes
• Cook Time: 1 hour
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: Chinese

Keywords: Peanut Tang Yuan, Glutinous Rice Balls, Sweet Ginger Soup, Chinese Dessert, Sticky Rice Balls, Traditional Chinese Sweet