中国古馔文化之宋朝甜品汤圆Tangyuan (glutinous balls with sweet fillings), the Song Dynasty's dessert

汤圆源自中国元宵节，南宋周必大的《平国续稿》“元宵煮浮圆子，前辈似未曾赋比。”。南宋周密《武林旧事》也有记录：“节食所尚，则乳糖圆子，澄沙团子，十般糖之类。”乳糖圆子就是白糖、牛奶、奶酪馅制作的汤圆。澄沙团子，指豆沙馅汤圆。汤圆馅可用松仁、核桃、猪油、糖制作，糯米制作汤圆皮，包成一个小圆球，放入沸水中煮，从沸水中浮起后，就好了。咬一口，馅如流沙一样流出。还可以制作一种没有馅料的小汤圆，叫醪糟小汤圆。把糯米揉搓成手指大的小团，分成一截截的放入沸水中，然后加入桂花、鸡蛋、米酒，煮成一碗酒酿桂花圆子。

Tangyuan is derived from the Chinese Lantern Festival. It’s recorded in Bida Zhou’s book Pingguo Xugao from Southern Dynasty and Mi Zhou’s book Old Stuffs of Wulin. People cooked Tangyuan in the Lantern Festival which was made by glutinous rice flour and sweet fillings, such as sugar, milk, red bean paste, and cheese.The fillings of Tangyuan can be made by pine nuts, walnuts, pig fat and sugar. Use glutinous rice flour to make the body of Tangyuan. Roll it into a ball. Put into the boiling water until it flows up to the surface. The filling inside will steadily flow out.We can also make a type of Tangyuan without filling, which is called mini Tangyuan. Use the sticky rice flour to make a shape of ball. Put them into the boiling water. Add Osmanthus flowers, eggs, rice wine. Then a delicious bowl of mini Tangyuan is ready.