Menu Enter a recipe name, ingredient, keyword...

Lucky Foods to Celebrate Chinese New Year

,
Gourmandize
Sweet Rice Balls 3/7

© Getty Images / zhikun sun

Sweet Rice Balls

Sweet rice balls are typically served on the last day of the Chinese New Year celebrations, which is also when the Lantern Festival takes place. This day is about togetherness, reconciliation, and peace. The tangyuan are balls of glutinous rice flour, either served in a hot broth or fried. Their name is a homophone for "union", and their round shape as well as the bowls they're served in are symbolic of family cohesion.


More steaming articles



Chef Tips and Tricks

VIDEO: Tasty Beef Tomato Pockets

Looking for an easy snack or party appetizer? These little beef pockets are a pinch!

Ingredients

Dough:

  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 cup olive oil
  • 2 tbsp sugar
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • Water

 Filling:

  • 1 onion, diced
  • 1 lb ground beef
  • A pinch of salt
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 cup tomato sauce

 Method

  1. Mix flour, sugar, salt, milk, and water in a pan, and mix until you form a dough.
  2. In a saucepan, heat a splash of olive oil and add the onion. Cook on medium-high until onion has softened.  
  3. Add the ground beef, and add the salt, water, and tomato sauce. When the meat has browned, remove from heat. 
  4. Dust a flat surface with flour, and roll out the dough into a flat sheet. 
  5. Use a ramekin or cup to cut out circles. 
  6. Add a dollop of beef-tomato mixture to the center of each circle. 
  7. Pinch the dough into a little pocket.
  8. Bake in the oven at 350° F for 15 minutes.
  9. Enjoy!