Chinese Dessert 酒酿圆子 Jiu Niang Yuan Zi

酒酿圆子 Jiuniang yuan zi is a Chinese dessert dish commonly found in the Zhejiang region. It consists of chewy mini glutinous rice balls, subtly sweet (and “boozy”) soup with jiuniang (fermented glutinous rice) and dried Osmanthus flower. This hearty dish has a very unique aroma which is not found in most Western desserts.

Curious about how it tastes? Why not try this simple recipe?

For mini glutinous rice balls (2-3 servings):

• 60g glutinous rice flour
• ~50g warm water

1. Pour warm water into glutinous rice flour, in the meantime, stir with chopsticks until large pea sized chunks form.
2. Knead dough with your hand, add water if it’s too dry, add flour if too sticky, until a non stick, smooth dough forms.
3. Pinch off dough and roll mini balls (any size you like in fact). Put in freezer if you can’t finish at once.

For the jiu niang yuan zi (serves 1):

• 1 serving prepared glutinous rice balls
• 1 cup water
• 1 tbs fermented glutinous rice
• 1-2 tsb sugar
• dried osmanthus, goji berries

P.S.  You can find fermented glutinous rice sold in a bottle in most Chinese grocery stores (in Toronto at least…)

1. Bring a cup of water to boil in a small saucepan, add glutinous rice balls, keep stirring. 
2. When all glutinous rice balls float to surface, switch to low heat, add fermented glutinous rice, sugar, dried osmanthus and reconstituted goji berries, simmer for about 2 min.

Serve hot, it’s gonna warm up your body, your heart, your soul.

(LOL yeah exaggerated a little.)

Here I cooked some taro balls, sweet potato balls with mini glutinous rice balls, heaven for whoever loves chewy food 🙂

Tang Yuan 汤圆

Sticky rice balls with brown sugar