Savory Tang Yuan (Glutinous Rice Ball Soup) in Daikon & Pork Broth
This easy Savory Tangyuan recipe is a comforting, umami-packed Chinese soup. Featuring soft, chewy glutinous rice balls in a flavorful broth with minced pork, tender daikon radish, dried shrimp, and shiitake mushrooms, it’s a hearty one-pot meal perfect for a cozy dinner or a symbolic dish for Mid-Autumn Festival and family reunions. Learn how to make homemade tangyuan from scratch!
Ingredients
Tang Yuan
- 100 g glutinous rice flour
- 35 g hot water
- 47 g cold water
Toppings
- ½ cup dried shiitake mushroom
- 160 g daikon
- 15 g dried shrimps
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 2-3 slices lettuce
- 150 g minced pork
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- Water
- 1 tsp white pepper
- ½ tsp chicken powder
Instructions
Prepare the Shiitake Mushroom
- Place the dried shiitake mushrooms in a bowl and cover completely with room temperature water. Let them soak for at least 4 hours, or ideally overnight, to fully rehydrate and develop their deep umami flavor. Reserve the soaking liquid.
- Once softened, slice the mushrooms and set aside.
Prepare the Tang Yuan
- In a medium mixing bowl, add the glutinous rice flour. Gradually add the hot water while stirring with chopsticks or a fork until the mixture forms small crumbs.
- Add the cold water slowly and continue stirring until the dough absorbs all the water. Use your hands to knead the dough until smooth and not too sticky. If the dough is too dry, add water 1/2 teaspoon at a time until the desired consistency is reached.
- Take a small handful of dough and roll it into a log, about ¾ to 1 inch thick.
- Tear off small pieces of dough (about 1½ teaspoons each). The pieces don’t need to be exact.
- Lightly coat the finished tangyuan in a dusting of dry glutinous rice flour to prevent them from sticking together.
- Place on a plate and cover tightly with plastic wrap to keep them from drying out while you prepare the broth.
Prepare Other Ingredients
- Slice the daikon into ¼–½ inch rounds, then cut into thin strips.
- Soak dried shrimp in water for 20 minutes, then drain.
- Wash and cut lettuce into strips.
- Marinate minced pork with salt and black pepper.
Cook the Broth
- Heat olive oil in a pot over medium-high heat.
- Add the sliced shiitake mushrooms and sauté until lightly golden.
- Add the dried shrimp and daikon, and cook for another 2–3 minutes.
- Add the minced pork and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until no longer pink.
- Pour in the reserved mushroom soaking liquid and enough fresh water to cover the ingredients by about 1 inch.
- Cover with a lid and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium.
- Season with white pepper and chicken powder. Taste and add salt as needed.
- Gently drop the tang yuan into the boiling broth. Cook until they float to the surface (about 2–3 minutes).
- Just before serving, turn off the heat and stir in the sliced lettuce—it will wilt slightly from the residual heat. Serve hot and enjoy!
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