Since ancient times, great changes have taken place in the stuffing of glutinous rice balls in the north and south. Stuffing can be vegetarian, sweet, salty and varied. Sweet stuffing generally includes bean paste, jujube paste, nuts and so on. Salty fillings generally include diced fresh meat and shrimps. Tangyuan alone can reflect how profound Chinese cuisine is and how intelligent the people are.
There is also a kind of jiaozi stuffed with mustard, onion, garlic, leek and ginger, which is called "Five-flavor Yuanxiao", which means hard work and long-term progress. In recent years, various "trendy" dumplings have appeared in the market, including strawberries, mangoes, durians, flowers and chocolates.
In our hometown, there are two kinds of glutinous rice balls, one with no stuffing and the other with stuffing. The stuffing is made into soybean grain size, cooked, fished out, added with brown sugar, peanuts and sesame seeds, and mixed well to serve. Stuffed, brown sugar, sesame seeds, peanuts, ginger, walnuts, etc. They are all mashed lard, rubbed into small balls and wrapped into big dumplings. I haven't eaten for years, and I miss that smell a little!
"The shape of glutinous rice balls is similar to the full moon, symbolizing reunion and good luck. Therefore, eating dumplings represents the desire of family reunion and harmony. " No matter whether it is called glutinous rice balls or Yuanxiao, no matter which production method, people are pinning their good wishes for the future life.