The Lantern Festival celebrates the first full moon 🌕 of the lunar new year and marks the official close of the Spring Festival in China. Also known as Yuanxiao Festival (元宵节), it's held on the 15th day of the lunar year's first month. During this period, people light lanterns 🏮 of different shapes and sizes, as well as decorate them with intricate patterns or riddles.
The round-shaped glutinous rice balls 🍡 known as Tang Yuan (Southern China) or Yuan Xiao (Northern China) are also a key part of the celebration, symbolising unity and wholeness. They differ primarily in preparation – Tang Yuan (汤圆) is made by wrapping filling in soft dough, while Yuan Xiao (元宵) is made by rolling solidified filling in dry flour.
In Singapore 🇸🇬, one can easily buy frozen packets of Tang Yuan (汤圆) from the supermarkets to cook at home or have a bowl of ready to eat sweet soup from dessert shops. Whereas for yuan xiao, I have not seen it being sold here commercially. This bowl of Ginger Soup Rice Balls with Beancurd (姜汁豆花汤圆) I bought from Mr Bean (豆先生) comes with black sesame (white), peanut (pink) glutinous rice balls 🍡 and soybean pudding (豆花) in ginger soup.
