Tang Yuan with Peanut Butter Filling 花生汤圆 (Glutinous Rice Balls with Peanut Butter Filling)

Tang Yuan, a Chinese dessert made from glutinous rice flour and usually served in sweet syrup. It is usually served on Winter Solstice Festival 冬至 and also a popular dessert for Spring Lantern Festival 元宵节 which is celebrated on the fifteen day of the first month in the Chinese calendar. It marks the final day of the traditional Chinese New Year celebrations.

This year I made the triple colours Glutinous rice balls with peanut butter filling in ginger syrup. A bit different from my previous making of Tang Yuan with black sesame filling in sweet osmanthus syrup or the normal Tang Yuan without filling.

Recipe:
yield: 47 pieces
Ingredients:
Peanut Butter Filling:
250g ground peanuts
4 tbsp fine sugar
4 tbsp peanut butter

Glutinous Rice Balls:
500g glutinous rice flour
2 tbsp sugar
~420ml water (200ml hot water, 220ml room temperature water gradually add) 
a drop of red food colouring
a drop of pandan paste

Soup:
a few slices of old ginger (peeled the skin, then lightly pounded on the flat sides) 
150 g brown sugar
1 litre of water
2 screw-pine leaves/pandan leaves (tie them into a knot)

Method:

1. Prepare the filling: Mix the filling ingredients together, mixed well. Divide into the portion you desire and chill in the fridge before use.

2. Prepare the tang yuan: in a mixing bowl, add half of the glutinous rice flour (250g) and sugar. Add in 200ml of hot water, use a chopstick to stir it together, then use the hands to knead the dough until it comes together. Add the remaining flour (250g), gradually add the room temperature water, continue to knead the dough. You will notice the flour will absorb all the water, knead the dough until it is smooth. The dough should feel wet and smooth with hands. if the dough is too dry, gradually add a bit more water.

3. Boil water in a medium size soup pot, prepare a bowl of drinking water (room temperature) place beside. 

4. Divide the dough into three portion, one portion add a drop of red food colouring, knead until the colour mix well. Add a drop of pandan paste to another portion of dough, knead until the colour mix well. One portion of dough remain white.

5. Roll the three doughs into log and divide it into smaller balls. Roll it between palm to make it round, make an indention on the ball, fill it with a small ball of peanut butter filling. Wrap up the edge of the dough and seal, roll it between palm again to make round ball. Repeat until all dough is used.

6. Drop the balls into the boiling water pot in (3), when the Tang Yuan float on the surface, it means it is cooked, keep it in the boiling water for another 1/2 mins. Scoop the Tang Yuan out from the boiling water and place it in the bowl of drinking water. Let it be there until serving.

7. Prepare the soup: In a medium pot, add water, screw-pine leaves, a few slices of old ginger and brown sugar, bring it to boil. Set aside until serving time.

8. Serving: Scoop out three pieces of Tang Yuan to a serving bowl, place some ginger syrup in the bowl, serve warm.