Bu-Tai-Tian “Not too Sweet” Dessert Nights Tickets go on sale Tuesday May 21st at 9 AM PDT
XCome celebrate the last day of Chinese New Year and sample traditional tangyuan!
Tangyuan 湯圓 is a traditional Chinese dessert consisting of balls of glutinous rice flour, filled with black sesame, red bean or peanut paste, and served in a hot broth or syrup.
The food has had several names. In northern China, it is also known as yuanxiao 元宵 (derived from Yuanxiao, the Lantern Festival) in northern China. This name means "first evening", as the festival takes place in the first full moon after the Chinese New Year, the 15th, and the last day of Chinese New Year celebrations.
In the southern China, this sweet treat is called for its more well-known name, tangyuan 湯圓 , which can be translated to “soup ball”. It is traditionally eaten on Dongzhi, the Winter Solstice, instead of being part of Chinese New Year food.
Both tangyuan and yuanxiao have sweet fillings such as sugar, sesame, osmanthus flowers, sweet bean paste and sweetened tangerine peel are used. So are they different? In northern China, "yuanxiao" is made by rolling small pieces of hardened filling in dry glutinous rice flour, adding water slowly, until it becomes a ball with a diameter of roughly 2 centimeters, whereas the southern "tangyuan", is made by wrapping soft filling in a glutinous rice "dough" similar to making a dumpling.
The round shapes and these sweet rice ball desserts symbolizes togetherness and family reunion, since it is usually eaten together with loved ones. Whether you call it tangyuan or yuanxiao, join us on the last day of Chinese New Year celebrations at Lan Su to get an authentic taste of this traditional festive treat!
This program and its content are generously donated by Pearl Zhang, a long time program partner and friend of Lan Su.
Food Allergy Warning: Tangyuan may contain peanut. Please refrain from sampling if you have food allergies.
In response to the statewide mask mandate lift in Oregon, masks are optional for Lan Su visitors, staff, and volunteers, starting Saturday March 12th, 2022.
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Lan Su Chinese Garden
38 NW Davis St #260, Portland, OR 97209
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