ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Tangyuan (food)

Tangyuan is a yummy treat made in China. It usually looks like little round balls made out of a type of sticky rice dough. Sometimes, these balls are filled with sweet things like sesame paste, peanut butter, or red bean paste.

People usually make tangyuan during a special holiday called the Lantern Festival. It's celebrated on the 15th day of the first lunar month of the Chinese calendar.

To make tangyuan, people start by mixing glutinous rice flour with water. They roll this dough into tiny balls and put them in hot water to cook. When they're done, the balls float to the top and look sort of like a bubble bath.

After the ball part is done, some people like to stuff the tangyuan with something sweet. They'll make a little hole in each ball and put in their favorite filling, then cover up the hole again.

Finally, people add some hot, sweet syrup to the pot of tangyuan to give it some extra flavor. Then it's all ready to eat!

Tangyuan is a yummy dessert that is sweet and chewy, and kids of all ages love it!
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