Tang Yuan (汤圆) is a Chinese dessert made from glutinous rice flour that is mixed with a little bit of water to form the ball shape that houses multiple fillings, and then cooked in boiling water. Tang yuans can be whatever size you make them to be and are usually served in ginger or sweet soup unless other paste variations are available.
They are traditionally eaten during Chinese weddings, Yuan Xiao Jie and Winter Solstice Festival, which usual falls towards the end of December when the weather is a little more cooling. Families also indulge in a comforting bowl of tang yuan on special occasions such as birthdays and family reunions.
Winter Solstice Festival (冬至)
The Winter Solstice Festival or Dongzhi Festival (冬至) is one of the most important festival in the Chinese tradition. It is also part of our Chinese custom for the family to get together and offer respects to our loved ones on this auspicious day.
One of the traditional foods which are closely associated with dongzhi festival, especially amongst those from the South of China, is tang yuan. This is a glutinous rice flour ball with sweet fillings such as peanuts, sesame seeds and red bean paste. The tang yuan are sometimes coloured pink and green. Tang yuan is one of food linked to dongzhi for the Chinese in Singapore. They can also be purchased frozen from the supermarkets in Singapore.
Dongzhi is associated with family reunion and togetherness. The sticky tang yuan, served in a sweet broth, are symbolic of sweet family unity and prosperity – a reminder of the importance of family and friends.
Lantern Festival (元宵节)
The Lantern Festival or 元宵节 (Yuan Xiao Jie) is celebrated on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, marking the end of the Lunar New Year celebrations. Locally, it’s more well- known as Chap Goh Meh (Hokkien for the fifteenth night – 十五晚). In 2023, the 15th day of 1st lunar month is on 5th Feb 2023.
Eating tang yuan, glutinous rice balls filled with red bean, sesame, or peanut, is one of the most important customs of the Lantern Festival. Tang yuan is usually eaten at home or with family members. The Chinese believe that the round shape of Tang yuan symbolises reunion or family togetherness and brings about family harmony, happiness and good luck in the new year.
Other than queueing at Mr. Bean stores for a bowl of tang yuan, here’s a list of the best Tang Yuan places in Singapore for you and your loved ones to use. Who says you’ll have to wait till December to enjoy it? They are easily available all around Singapore, to be enjoyed all year round.
75 Ah Balling Peanut Soup
If you know anybody who loves tang yuan and ask them which is the best place to get your tang yuan fix, they’ll probably say 75 Ah Balling Peanut Soup. With customers begging them to open up more stalls across the city, there has to be something so special about these tang yuans, right?
That’s right. These tang yuans are so soft and velvety, your teeth will sink into them instantly. Indulge in traditional and modern glutinous rice balls at this tang yuan stall. Choose between various flavours including sesame, matcha, red bean and yam. The peanut is also super, super crunchy!
Its tang yuan features chewy glutinous rice dough and is filled with sweet molten filling. The black sesame rice balls are a must-try thanks to the nutty and slight gritty filling which adds a lovely texture to the dessert. The paste bursts out of the tang yuans once you bite into them so just chew on the whole tang yuan and finish it in one mouth.
Various soup bases are also available, including longan red date, peanut, almond milk and ginger.
– Josher Leong
Comforting, affordable and delicious. A must-go store. Great selection of tang yuan fillings. The peanut broth isn’t too sweet as well.
– Samuel Roy
Really good tang yuan. Tried the peanut and the almond milk soup base. The sesame and peanut tang yuans also were very soft and tasty.
– Freddy Kua
My go-to place for 汤圆 tang yuan. Tang yuan literally means soup round (ball), with special meaning of yuan (圆) which also means complete/union, symbolises family reunion, family gathering together. This is a tang yuan specialist offering a good variety of filling and soup. They have peanut, sesame and red bean fillings, with combination of ginger, longan, almond or peanut soup. Do expect a queue during festive days.
75 Ah Balling Peanut Soup
Address: 505 Beach Road, #01-75, Golden Mile Food Centre, Singapore 199583
85 Bedok North Street 4, #01-25, 85 Fengshan Centre, Singapore 460085
335 Smith Street, #02-113, Chinatown Complex, Singapore 050335
1 Punggol Drive, #02-13, One Punggol Hawker Centre, Singapore 828629
Website: https://www.facebook.com/75ahballing/
Selegie Soyabean
The peanut glutinous rice balls features savoury peanut paste encased in a mochi-like glutinous rice skin. Here, its sweet treat sits on the signature tau huay (soy beancurd). Dig into silky smooth beancurd that pairs exceptionally well with its soft and chewy glutinous rice balls.
The tau huay is silky and the almond syrup was delicious and decadent. The tang yuans burst with the filling paste. The peanut paste in particular was crunchy, making these them a joy to munch on.
They have outlets at Upper Serangoon Road, Jalan Kayu, Towner Road, Bedok, Hougang and Ubi.
– Kenneth Liam
The tang yuan were good especially the one with the peanuts filling.
– Sweetpotagoh
You can expect very fine and silky tau huey from Selegie Soybean! Added a mix of three tang yuans. Their youtiaos are also good to pair with the beancurd. Could tell that their tang yuans are not the frozen ones, they were very soft and filled generously. Enjoyed the sesame ones the most but their peanut tang yuan included sesame seeds inside which made it more “fragrant”. The red bean tang yuan was unique.
Selegie Soyabean
Address: 1002 Upper Serangoon Rd, Singapore 534740
247 Jalan Kayu, Singapore 799471
Blk 102 Towner Rd #01-278, Singapore 322102
320 Bedok Rd, Singapore 469487
Blk 209 Hougang St 21 #01-34, Singapore 530209
Blk 302 Ubi Ave 1 #01-19, Singapore 400302
Website: https://www.selegiesoyabean.com.sg/
Ji De Chi Dessert
Specialising in Asian desserts and snacks (a mixture of local Chinese, Taiwanese and Hong Kong desserts). Ji De Chi Dessert has a wide variety of desserts and snacks, with over 70 products to select from.
If you feel like indulging in simple yet delicious Hong Kong style dessert, Ji De Chi should be your next stop. This popular dessert chain offers some of the best Chinese desserts at reasonable prices.
They have outlets at Hillion Mall, Westgate, Woods Square, Jurong Point, Century Square, 51AMK, Paya Lebar Square, Star Vista, Satay by the Bay and Square 2.
– Ezra
I ordered takeaway for yam paste and sesame paste with tang yuan today for my family. It was still quite warm even after 15minutes and the food taste good. Hope to try out other desserts next time!
Ji De Chi Dessert
Website: https://www.jidechi-dessert.com/
Ah Chew Desserts
Ah Chew is perhaps most famous for their bold dessert broths that the tang yuans are doused in. Ah Chew Desserts offers a huge variety of local desserts that are perfect for an afternoon snack or post-dinner refreshment. The famed Durian Green Bean Soup with Seaweed is one of a kind and cannot be found anywhere else.
Its ginger soup with rice ball features soft tang yuan served in warm ginger soup. The tang yuans themselves are pretty delicious and come in sesame or peanut fillings. The tang yuans are soft and melts in your mouth. The ginger soup was warm and complemented the sweetness of the tang yuans.
Opt for the sesame-filled tang yuan where its rich and smooth paste is encased in chewy glutinous rice dough. This dish offers a hint of sweetness, balanced with a kick of spice from the ginger soup.
– Drew Goh
Love the decorations in the shop, but the queues are usually long and the dessert I want is always out of stock. The yam paste with tangyuan is very nice, the paste is thick and flavourful. Prices are alright, and portions are enough for one person.
– Jayven Phang Jun Wei
Lots of variety to choose from! Tang yuan was really good, highly recommend!
Ah Chew Desserts
Address: 1 Liang Seah Street, #01-10/11 Liang Seah Place, Singapore 189032
181 Thomson Road, Goldhill Shopping Centre, Singapore 307627
Website: https://www.ahchewdesserts.com/
Mei Heong Yuen Dessert
Mei Heong Yuen Dessert specializes in different Chinese desserts. Often packed with customers, the desserts are guaranteed to wow you over. Especially the tang yuans.
These tang yuans were unexpectedly bouncy and had a smooth grainy textured paste. Both peanut and sesame pastes were equally delicious and the ginger soup was really balanced. It’s no wonder why people flock here after dinner.
– Joshua Caleb Ang
One of the best traditional dessert outlet in Chinatown. It’s a bit more pricey than usual, but very authentic. Their ginger tang yuan is my favourite. Can be very crowded at times, especially during lunch time although people don’t stay for long.
– Solomon Jr
I love the peanut glutinous rice balls here. Coupled with the ginger soup, it’s a real heavenly match. Also do get the peanut paste here, worth a try.
Mei Heong Yuen Dessert
Address: No. 63 – 67 Temple Street, Singapore 058611
133 New Bridge Road, #B2-32/33, Chinatown Point, Singapore 059413
3155 Commonwealth Avenue West, #04-19, Clementi Mall, Singapore 129588
238 Thomson Road, Velocity@Novena Square #02-03, Singapore 307683
10 Eunos Rd 8, Singapore Post Centre, B1-162/163, Singapore 408600
1 NorthPoint Drive, #02-171, NorthPoint City, Singapore 768019
16 Liang Seah Street, Singapore 189037
100 Tras Street, SG EAT@100AM #04-04/05/06/07, Singapore 079027
3 Temasek Boulevard, #03-367/368/369/370, Suntec City Mall, Singapore 038983
1 Pasir Ris Close, E!Hub @ Downtown East, #02-102, Singapore 519599
3 Simei Street 6, Eastpoint Mall, #03-K2, Singapore 528833
Website: https://www.meiheongyuendessert.com.sg/
Jin Yu Man Tang Dessert
Visit Jin Yu Man Tang Desserts for traditional cantonese desserts, including a warm bowl of tang yuan. Available in two flavours, sesame and peanut, the former is a crowd favourite due to its velvety texture that oozes out in just one bite. These balls can be accompanied with various soup bases, such as warm milk, red bean and mango.
– Jeffrey Jap
Not too sweet. Love it Tried sesame paste with glutinous rice ball peanut and peach gum mango milk
– Derek Neo
The desserts here are generally quite nice. The tang yuan is smooth and soft and the chengteng is also full of ingredients and not too sweet. The herbal jelly is not too sweet and not too bitter. A popular place for dessert.
– Edwin S
Good dessert. The sesame paste with glutinous rice balls was good. The paste was quite thick and had subtle sweet and smoky flavor to it. The glutinous rice balls were filled with peanuts (or you can also opt for sesame filling). The peanut filling was also quite generous.
Jin Yu Man Tang Dessert
Address: 66 East Coast Road, #01-03 The Flow@East Coast, Singapore 428778
291 South Bridge Road, Singapore 058836
Website: https://www.facebook.com/jinyumantangdessertshop/
Chow Zan Dessert
There’s just something very nostalgic about relishing in local traditional desserts, specifically the Chinese tang shui. Perhaps because they were what we had before international desserts and flamboyant creations penetrated the market. Local desserts are considered a gem in Singapore’s gastronomic scene, purely because they have been around for so long and yet, are still widely adored by people across generations. A modest-looking store that is lodged between a row of contiguous shophouses near Bugis, Chow Zan Dessert provides an extensive menu of conventional old-school desserts and contemporary ones that are ‘chowzan’, which means ‘highly deserving of praise’.
Apart from classic choices such as cheng tng, chendol, and sago desserts, they also serve international options including mango sticky rice as well as brownie and ice cream combos.
– Fu SH
The menu offers a whole range of traditional Chinese desserts. We tried the Red Bean Tangyuan. It is just damn good and worth a detour if you are in the area.
Chow Zan Dessert
Address: 801 North Bridge Road, Singapore 198769
Website: https://chowzan.sg/
Ren Ren Desserts
Ren Ren Desserts is helmed by an old, loving couple who shares a passion for serving amazing homemade desserts. The tang yuans here are the bomb.
A hidden gem in the East, this humble dessert store is worth a try. The tang yuans ($2.30) are chewy yet soft. The sesame paste is also really thick and not too sweet. Served in a perfectly boiled peanut soup to complement the flavour of the sesame paste, you won’t ever look at this dessert store the same way ever again.
Ren Ren Desserts
Address: 55 Siglap Road, #B1-13, Siglap Centre, Singapore 455871
Website: https://www.facebook.com/Tang51/
Gong He Guan
Away from the hustle and bustle of Chinatown, this is a great option to have dessert at if you’re completely tired of waiting for a spot a Mei Heong Yuen Dessert. This store serves up classic Hong Kong desserts from refreshing mango pomelo to steamed milk pudding. Quiet and cooling, you can eat your tang yuans in peace here, without having to queue up or fight for a seat.
A must try is its traditional tang yuan that comes bathed in an aromatic ginger soup. Its glutinous rice balls are generously filled with a savoury peanut paste and wrapped in a thin layer of glutinous rice dough. The tang yuan itself is silky and smooth. Good to sink your teeth in. The pastes could be less thick and more flowy to give you the grainy textures when you bite into it. Other than that, the ginger soup pretty much made the tang yuans super delicious.
If you’re not a fan of ginger soup, go for its creamy yuan yang (white almond and black sesame paste) instead and top up with its sweet tang yuan balls.
– Alex Soo
Today is Winter Solstice and Chinese traditions is to eat 汤圆 glutinous rice balls to symbolize reunion or togetherness. As most of the famous glutinous rice ball stalls will have hours of snaking queue. Have decided to check out this store. To my surprise, they make very authentic Cantonese-style glutinous rice ball. It comes with clear ginger soup and 2 type of fillings. Peanut or black sesame. Best of all, there is no queue here.
– Shigella Tan
Eating at Gong He Guan is like pairing good Chinese dessert with lovely Chinese furniture in an old coffee shop that resisted the influence of modern renovation. There are 38 items on the menu but I will usually go for the warm almond paste with glutinous rice balls with peanut or sesame filling.
Gong He Guan
Address: 28 Upper Cross Street, Singapore 058337
217 Geylang Road, Singapore 389277
Website: https://www.facebook.com/gongheguan
Yat Ka Yan Dessert
– Peiyi Tan
Nice Chinese dessert place. We tried the black glutinous rice with ice cream, walnut paste, sesame paste, fresh mango with ice cream and tang yuan in ginger soup. They are all good and not too sweet! My personal favourites and must-order are the black glutinous rice with ice cream, yam paste and peanut tang yuan in longan soup!
– Paustina Chou
Been patronising them. Quality is consistent and the desserts are not too sweet. My favourite is their walnut paste with glutinous rice ball.
Yat Ka Yan Dessert
Address: 190 Middle Rd, #02-08 Fortune Centre, Singapore 188979
Website: https://www.facebook.com/yatkayandessert/
From all of us here at SG Atlas, we would like to wish everyone 元宵节快乐!
