After the Spring Festival holiday, people look forward to the Lantern Festival on the 15th day of the first lunar month. By this time, the "San Jiu" coldest period has passed, but the weather can be warm one moment and cold the next, so people still need to keep warm. Eating tangyuan (glutinous rice balls) during the Lantern Festival not only symbolizes festive family reunion but also has health benefits such as warding off cold, strengthening the spleen and stomach, and benefiting the lungs.
During the Lantern Festival, a variety of yuanxiao, tangyuan, and rice cakes are on display, making it hard to choose. In fact, these are all primarily made from glutinous rice, which commonly comes in white and purple varieties. Their nutritional value is similar to that of regular rice, with about 7 grams of protein and 75 grams of carbohydrates per 100 grams, along with various vitamins. Through processing and different ingredients, they are made into yuanxiao and tangyuan with various flavors, but their nutritional value is far greater than that of ordinary rice flour.
Now, people are adding fruit and vegetable juices (such as pumpkin, spinach, celery, tomato, and pineapple juice) to rice flour to enrich its nutrients. Meanwhile, the fillings for tangyuan are incredibly diverse, including red bean paste, hawthorn paste, chocolate, black and white sesame paste, rose paste, assorted fruit fillings, nut fillings, sweet bean paste, fruit juice filling, ham filling, and fresh meat filling, making for a dazzling array. Tangyuan are savory and fragrant with rich ingredients, and they are especially delicious when eaten hot right after being cooked.
We commonly see two ways to eat tangyuan:
As the saying goes, "After the tenth day of the first lunar month comes the fifteenth..." On the 15th day of the first lunar month, the Lantern Festival, every household eats tangyuan. Whether making them at home or buying them, it's important to be careful when selecting ingredients and finished products.
How to choose tangyuan
First, when selecting (or making) tangyuan, it's a good idea to choose a variety of flavors to mix and eat. This not only satisfies different taste preferences but also allows the nutrients in the ingredients to complement each other, effectively increasing the nutritional value of the tangyuan.
Second, it's best to eat tangyuan as soon as they are bought (or made). Leftover tangyuan must be stored in the refrigerator, and the storage time should not be too long.
Additionally, tangyuan must be fresh. Do not buy or eat those with an abnormal color (this will be discussed separately). Also, for friends with blood sugar issues, be aware that while sugar-free tangyuan might seem like a way to satisfy a sweet tooth, it's not good for blood sugar stability. You must consider that it's not just about the sugar; the weight of the rice flour, the carbohydrates and fats in the filling, and the need to control the total carbohydrate intake are all important. Also, be aware that some sweeteners can increase blood viscosity, which would be adding insult to injury. Therefore, it's crucial to keep a clear head and maintain a proper balance.
Tangyuan that should not be eaten
The reason is that rice flour contains a large number of yeast, specifically *Rhodotorula*. When this yeast contaminates rice flour, it multiplies rapidly under suitable humidity and temperature. According to studies, the optimal conditions for *Rhodotorula* growth are a rice flour temperature of 20°C and a moisture content of 40%--50%. When the number of *Rhodotorula* in the rice flour reaches a certain level, pink to yellowish-brown spots will appear when the tangyuan are boiled. If the number of yeast is even higher, the tangyuan will turn reddish-brown.
A friendly reminder:
Besides causing color changes in tangyuan, *Rhodotorula* can also cause red discoloration in flour, rice, corn, bean powder, milk, fruits, meat, and pickles. When tangyuan change color, their nutritional value is greatly reduced, they lose their original flavor and texture, the skin becomes hard and less sticky, and they may have a slightly sour taste. This can easily lead to food poisoning, so they should not be eaten.
Method 1: Boiling
The primary method is boiling. They are smooth and not greasy, making them suitable for a wide range of people, truly a treat for all ages. Nowadays, for health reasons, people add ingredients like vegetable juice, sweet osmanthus water, or rose petals to the boiling water, which enriches the nutrients in the soup and improves the flavor.
Method 2: Frying
This usually involves slowly frying soft tangyuan over low heat. Although fried tangyuan have a more pronounced savory and fragrant flavor, they contain more fat and calories, so they should not be eaten in large quantities.
What is the best way to eat tangyuan?
Tangyuan are made from sticky glutinous rice and have complex fillings, making them difficult to digest, so it's best to eat them in moderation. It is especially recommended to eat them with foods that aid digestion, such as hawthorn, barley malt extract, dried tangerine peel, and raw radish. Raw radish, in particular, contains mustard oil and coarse fiber, which can promote intestinal motility, help resolve food stagnation, relieve bloating, and aid in the excretion of waste from the body.