The 15th day of the first lunar month is the day of the Lantern Festival. It is important to remind parents that children under 3 years old are not suitable for eating tangyuan (sweet rice balls).
·Because glutinous rice is very sticky, children under 1 year old are likely to get tangyuan stuck in their esophagus, which can block the airway;
·Children aged 1 to 2 may not be able to chew the peanuts in the tangyuan filling;
·Children with respiratory diseases should eat as few tangyuan as possible to avoid aggravating their condition;
·Children's digestive functions are weaker, and their swallowing reflex is not fully developed. Even older children should not eat tangyuan whole at once. They should be divided into thirds or halves, eaten one bite at a time, to prevent accidents.
Health Reminder:
There are also tips for cooking tangyuan: Add to boiling water: After the water boils, put the tangyuan into the pot. Gently push them with a spoon to let them rotate a few times so they don't stick to the pot wall.
Simmer on low heat: Once the tangyuan float, quickly reduce the heat to a simmer. Otherwise, the tangyuan will keep rolling, resulting in a hard center with a cooked exterior, which is not tasty.
Add cold water: During the cooking process, add a small amount of cold water each time the water comes to a boil, to keep the tangyuan in a state of near-boiling. After the water has boiled two or three times, cook for a while longer, and they are ready to eat. This method makes the tangyuan soft, not hard, and sweet and sticky.
Cook immediately: The glutinous rice flour in raw tangyuan has a high moisture content and will spoil if left for too long. It can also break easily when frozen after being frozen. It is best to make and eat tangyuan fresh, and they should not be stored for more than 3 days. Once you notice a change in color, they should not be eaten. Store-bought frozen tangyuan should also be eaten promptly and should not be stored for more than a week.
In addition, whether boiled or deep-fried, tangyuan must be cooked through. When deep-frying, it is best to poke some small holes in the tangyuan to prevent them from bursting and causing burns.