At the table
Lift one with a spoon, break it open and let the filling cool. Eat small bites rather than swallowing a whole ball.
Contains sesame and pork fat. The sticky dough and hot filling need care when eating.
Filling proportions and sweetness vary. Other tangyuan fillings do not necessarily share the ingredients of this Ningbo pork-fat version.
GET TO KNOW THE DISH
What goes into it?
Explore some key ingredients below. Preparations may use additional seasonings and ingredients.
Other fillings are alternatives to the pork-fat filling.
Typical ingredients
Recipes vary by restaurant.
How does it taste?
Sweet and sesame-rich
- Chili heat
- Texture
- Soft and sticky.
- How it’s made
- Wrap sesame, pork leaf fat and sugar in rice-flour dough, then boil.
Other fillings are alternatives to the pork-fat filling.
A CONNECTION TO PLACE
Origin & regional roots
Associated with Zhejiang.
Ask if they have it first
请问你们有宁波猪油芝麻汤圆吗？
Do you have this item?
A LITTLE SOMETHING TO READ
Story & history
A sweet taste of togetherness
This account describes a tradition or story, rather than an established historical fact.
In Ningbo, tangyuan are also called tangtuan and carry the meaning of family togetherness. Their plain white exterior hides a sweet filling of black sesame, sugar and pork leaf fat. The pork fat is easy to overlook in a dessert, but it is part of this named version. The soft, sticky wrapper and rich sesame center are eaten together.