Lava-like Peanut Tang Yuan is easier to make than you might think. With just a few simple steps, you can create this delectable treat with a gooey, peanut-filled center.
What is Peanut Tang Yuan?
Tang Yuan are traditional Chinese glutinous rice balls, also known as sweet rice dumplings. They are often enjoyed during special occasions such as the Lantern Festival and the Winter Solstice. The term “tang yuan” literally translates to “soup round” or “soup ball,” reflecting the common practice of serving them in a sweet or savory broth.
Peanut Tang Yuan specifically features a filling made from crushed peanuts, sugar, honey, and sometimes butter or lard. This filling gives the rice balls a rich, nutty flavor and a slightly sweet taste. The balls are made by wrapping the peanut filling in a soft, sticky dough made from glutinous rice flour.
Lard in Chinese Cuisine: From Desserts to Stir-Fries
If you’re a regular reader of Nana with Chopstick, you may have noticed that I often use lard in my tangyuan recipes, such as in the Black Sesame Tang Yuan Recipe and Pumpkin Tang Yuan. In China, lard is commonly used in various desserts and pastries, like shaobing and wife cakes, and is frequently used in place of vegetable oil for stir-frying. If you’re interested, you can check out my recipe on How to Make Lard.
A Proven Method for Making Perfect Peanut Tang Yuan
For this Peanut Tang Yuan, I use the same dough method as in the Black Sesame Tang Yuan Recipe. Among the various dough-making methods I’ve tried, this one has proven to be the most successful. I mix warm water with glutinous rice flour to form a dough, which initially lacks elasticity. Then, I cook a small piece of the dough in boiling water until it floats and knead it back into the main dough, which enhances its elasticity and prevents the tangyuan from cracking.
For details on how I wrap the tangyuan, you can also check out my Black Sesame Tang Yuan Recipe.
In this recipe, I toast more peanuts than needed, using 200 grams for the Peanut Tang Yuan and saving the rest for another classic Cantonese dessert, Glutinous Rice Balls with Crushed Peanuts. Refer to the recipe if you prefer to toast the peanuts in a pan instead of baking them.
Ingredients:
For the Filling:
- 200 grams peanuts
- 100 grams white granulated sugar
- 30 grams honey
- 100 grams butter or lard
- 20 grams water
For the Dough:
- 300 grams glutinous rice flour
- 225 grams warm water
Instructions:
Prepare the Peanut Filling:
Preheat your oven to 100°C (212°F). Spread the peanuts on a baking sheet and roast for about 20 minutes, until fragrant and lightly browned.
Once roasted, let the peanuts cool slightly, then remove their skins. Place the peanuts on a cutting board.
Crush the peanuts using a rolling pin or a blender to achieve a coarsely crushed texture. If using a blender, be careful not to over-process, as overly fine peanuts can affect the texture.
In a mixing bowl, combine the crushed peanuts with the white granulated sugar, honey, butter or lard, and water. Mix well until the ingredients are fully incorporated.
Transfer the filling mixture to the refrigerator and chill for 20-30 minutes until it firms up.
Once chilled, divide the filling into 10-gram portions.
Prepare the Dough:
While the filling is chilling in the refrigerator, prepare the dough. In a large bowl, mix the glutinous rice flour with water. Stir until the mixture forms a dough.
Take a small piece of the dough (about 50 grams), flatten it with your hand, and cook it in boiling water until it floats.
Remove the cooked dough from the water and knead it back into the remaining dough. This process enhances the dough’s texture, improves its elasticity, and prevents it from cracking.
Shape the Tang Yuan:
Roll the dough into long strips and cut into pieces about 15 grams each.
Flatten each piece of dough into a small circle.
Place one portion of the chilled peanut filling in the center of each dough circle.
Gently 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.
Repeat this process with the remaining dough and filling.
Cook the Tang Yuan:
Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
Add the prepared tangyuan to the boiling water, stirring gently with a spatula to prevent sticking.
Cook the tangyuan until they float to the surface, then continue to cook for an additional minute.
Remove the tangyuan with a slotted spoon and serve them in bowls with a little of the cooking water or in a sweet syrup if desired.
How To Make Peanut Tang Yuan
Ingredients
For the Filling:
- 200 grams peanuts
- 100 grams white granulated sugar
- 30 grams honey
- 100 grams butter or lard
- 20 grams water
For the Dough:
- 300 grams glutinous rice flour
- 225 grams warm water
Instructions
Prepare the Peanut Filling:
- Preheat your oven to 100°C (212°F). Spread the peanuts on a baking sheet and roast for about 20 minutes, until fragrant and lightly browned.
- Once roasted, let the peanuts cool slightly, then remove their skins. Place the peanuts on a cutting board.
- Crush the peanuts using a rolling pin or a blender to achieve a coarsely crushed texture. If using a blender, be careful not to over-process, as overly fine peanuts can affect the texture.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the crushed peanuts with the white granulated sugar, honey, butter or lard, and water. Mix well until the ingredients are fully incorporated.
- Transfer the filling mixture to the refrigerator and chill for 20-30 minutes until it firms up.
- Once chilled, divide the filling into 10-gram portions.
Prepare the Dough:
- While the filling is chilling in the refrigerator, prepare the dough. In a large bowl, mix the glutinous rice flour with water. Stir until the mixture forms a dough.
- Take a small piece of the dough (about 50 grams), flatten it with your hand, and cook it in boiling water until it floats.
- Remove the cooked dough from the water and knead it back into the remaining dough. This process enhances the dough’s texture, improves its elasticity, and prevents it from cracking.
Shape the Tang Yuan:
- Roll the dough into long strips and cut into pieces about 15 grams each.
- Flatten each piece of dough into a small circle.
- Place one portion of the chilled peanut filling in the center of each dough circle.
- Gently 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.
- Repeat this process with the remaining dough and filling.
Cook the Tang Yuan:
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
- Add the prepared tangyuan to the boiling water, stirring gently with a spatula to prevent sticking.
- Cook the tangyuan until they float to the surface, then continue to cook for an additional minute.
- Remove the tangyuan with a slotted spoon and serve them in bowls with a little of the cooking water or in a sweet syrup if desired.
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