Pandan Glutinous Rice Balls with Taro Paste Filling

After preparing the taro paste, I think it’s time to make the Pandan Glutinous Rice Balls with Taro Paste Filling. To enhance the dough’s flavor, I infuse it with pandan leaves, adding a unique, aromatic touch to the glutinous rice dough.

Why Made Pandan Glutinous Rice Balls

Tang Yuan are traditional Chinese glutinous rice balls, also known as sweet rice dumplings.

Pandan Glutinous Rice Balls or pandan Tang Yuan are a delightful Asian dessert that pairs the fragrant, slightly sweet pandan-flavored glutinous rice dough with a creamy, nutty taro paste.

The dough, made from glutinous rice flour and pandan juice, is soft and chewy, while the taro paste filling is smooth and rich, often sweetened with condensed milk and butter.

To prepare, small balls of pandan dough are wrapped around the taro paste and cooked in boiling water until they float. This dessert offers a pleasing contrast between the chewy exterior and the creamy interior, making it a flavorful and aromatic treat.

My Secret for Smooth and Crack-Free Dough

For this Tang Yuan, just like in my Black Sesame Tang Yuan recipe, I combine room-temperature pandan juice with glutinous rice flour to make the dough. At first, the dough is a bit stiff, so I take a small piece and cook it in boiling water until it floats.

Then I knead this cooked piece back into the main dough, which makes it more elastic and prevents cracking. This method has consistently given me the best results.

Ingredients:

For the Taro Paste Filling:

• Refer to my taro paste recipe
• After making the taro paste, shape it into 10g balls and refrigerate until ready to use

For the Pandan Juice:

• 15g pandan leaves
• 150g water

For the Dough:

• 190g glutinous rice flour
• 140g pandan juice (from the ingredients above)

For Cooking:

• 800ml water
• 50g red dates
• 20g ginger slices
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1/4 cup goji berries (optional)
• 2 eggs (optional)

Instructions:

Prepare the Taro Paste Filling:

• Follow my taro paste recipe to make the filling.
• Shape the finished taro paste into 10g balls and refrigerate.

Make the Pandan Juice:

• Cut the pandan leaves into small pieces.
• Blend the pandan leaves with 150g water until smooth.
• Strain the mixture through a fine sieve twice to obtain 140g of pandan juice.

Prepare the Tang Yuan Dough:

• In a bowl, mix 190g glutinous rice flour with 140g pandan juice. Gradually add the juice while stirring with chopsticks until combined.
• Knead the dough with your hands until it becomes smooth and pliable.
• Take a small piece of dough, about 40g, and flatten it with your hand.
• Cook it in boiling water until it floats to the surface.
• Knead the cooked dough back into the original dough to enhance elasticity and prevent cracking. Continue kneading until you get a smooth dough.

Assemble the Pandan Glutinous Rice Balls:

• Roll the dough into long strips and cut into equal pieces of about 15g each.
• Take one piece, and flatten it into a disc shape. Place a taro paste ball in the center, then gather the edges of the dough around the filling and pinch to seal.
• Roll the filled dough gently between your palms to form a smooth ball.

Cook the Tang Yuan:

• In a pot, add 800ml water, 50g red dates, and 20g ginger slices. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes.
• Add the prepared tang yuan balls. Add goji berries, if using.
• Stir in 1 tablespoon of brown sugar and optional eggs. Continue cooking until the eggs are cooked through, and once the tang yuan float to the surface, cook for an additional minute.

Serve:

• Remove the tang yuan from the pot and serve in bowls with the broth. Enjoy the warm and flavorful pandan glutinous rice balls with taro paste filling!
  

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  Pandan Glutinous Rice Balls with Taro Paste Filling

  After preparing the taro paste, I think it's time to make the Pandan Glutinous Rice Balls with Taro Paste Filling. To enhance the dough's flavor, I infuse it with pandan leaves, adding a unique, aromatic touch to the glutinous rice dough.

  Course Dessert

  Cuisine Chinese

  Prep Time 40 minutes minutes

  Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

  Servings 2

  Calories 512kcal

  Ingredients

  For the Taro Paste Filling:

  • Refer to my taro paste recipe
  • After making the taro paste shape it into 10g balls and refrigerate until ready to use

  For the Pandan Juice:

  • 15 g pandan leaves
  • 150 g water

  For the Dough:

  • 190 g glutinous rice flour
  • 140 g pandan juice from the ingredients above

  For Cooking:

  • 800 ml water
  • 50 g red dates
  • 20 g ginger slices
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup goji berries optional
  • 2 eggs optional

  Instructions

  Prepare the Taro Paste Filling:

  • Follow my taro paste recipe to make the filling.
  • Shape the finished taro paste into 10g balls and refrigerate.

  Make the Pandan Juice:

  • Cut the pandan leaves into small pieces.
  • Blend the pandan leaves with 150g water until smooth.
  • Strain the mixture through a fine sieve twice to obtain 140g of pandan juice.

  Prepare the Tang Yuan Dough:

  • In a bowl, mix 190g glutinous rice flour with 140g pandan juice. Gradually add the juice while stirring with chopsticks until combined.
  • Knead the dough with your hands until it becomes smooth and pliable.
  • Take a small piece of dough, about 40g, and flatten it with your hand.
  • Cook it in boiling water until it floats to the surface.
  • Knead the cooked dough back into the original dough to enhance elasticity and prevent cracking. Continue kneading until you get a smooth dough.

  Assemble the Pandan Glutinous Rice Balls:

  • Roll the dough into long strips and cut into equal pieces of about 15g each.
  • Take one piece, and flatten it into a disc shape. Place a taro paste ball in the center, then gather the edges of the dough around the filling and pinch to seal.
  • Roll the filled dough gently between your palms to form a smooth ball.

  Cook the Tang Yuan:

  • In a pot, add 800ml water, 50g red dates, and 20g ginger slices. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes.
  • Add the prepared tang yuan balls. Add goji berries, if using.
  • Stir in 1 tablespoon of brown sugar and optional eggs. Continue cooking until the eggs are cooked through, and once the tang yuan float to the surface, cook for an additional minute.

  Serve:

  • Remove the tang yuan from the pot and serve in bowls with the broth. Enjoy the warm and flavorful pandan glutinous rice balls with taro paste filling!

  Nutrition

  Calories: 512kcal | Carbohydrates: 103g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 164mg | Sodium: 90mg | Potassium: 346mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 22g | Vitamin A: 240IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 65mg | Iron: 1mg