Tang Yuan or Winter Solstice Soup

Most people know December 21st as the first day of winter but did you know, according to old Chinese traditions, mostly celebrated in Southern China, it is also the night to make “tong yuan”, winter solstice soup for dinner. I’m usually not home for this, but this year, my family waited and made it on Christmas Day so I could partake. I’ve always been known as “soup girl” in my family because I love soups of all kind. This one is really a simple broth with just a few ingredients but the real beauty of it lies in the tradition of our family sitting around the table rolling out balls and then enjoying it together. It’s clean and light, yet comforting and tasty.

The name “Tong Yuan” literally means “ round balls in soup.“ The main ingredient of the soup, the “yuan” are small balls made of rice flour. They are chewy, almost like gnocchi but stickier. Some people have them sweet but our family always serves them savory. In olden times, the arrival of winter meant the farmers could stop working and celebrate at home with their families and a big feast. Some also say the celebration’s roots can be traced back to the Chinese belief in yin and yang, which represent balance and harmony in life. On the longest night of the year, the yin qualities of darkness are the strongest but also signifies the turning point, giving way to the light and warmth of yang. The round shape also reflects the togetherness and reunion of family. In Chinese culture, almost everything, and especially food, has a meaning - the name, the shape, when you eat it, etc.




Soup
Homemade Chicken Broth
3 daikon /turnip (“Law Bok”) peeled and cut into 2 inch chunks
Shitake mushrooms
3 lap cheong (Chinese sausage) sliced
Fish Balls or Fish Cake sliced

Mix together, bring to boil, let simmer

Yuan
1c of gutinous rice flour
Roughly 4T warm water



Place rice flour in a mixing bowl. Add water a little at a time and knead to form dough. Dough should be sticky but not enough to stick to fingers. Take a section of dough and roll back and forth into long rolls, then pinch off a marble-sized dough and roll it between hands to form a ball, place on plate, but do not let them touch.  Try to keep the balls about the same size, although in my family since we all work together we end up making all different sized balls.








Boil a pot of water. Drop in dumplings and add 1c cold water to prevent sticking. As soon as they float, they are done, add to soup and serve with cilantro garnish.