Qingtuan for Qingming: Try This Green Sticky Treat Over the Holiday

Freya Zhang | Apr 3, 2023 1:12 pm | Add a comment | 440 reads

Qingtuan, also known as Green Rice Ball, is a traditional Chinese dessert that is typically enjoyed during the Tomb Sweeping festival. This sweet treat is made from glutinous rice flour and Chinese mugwort, which gives it its signature green color.

Although the shape of qingtuan has remained unchanged for thousands of years -- the name itself dates to the Tang Dynasty, but it could be much older -- people nowadays are more inclined to try new flavors and the traditional sacrificial function of qingtuan has become less prominent.

What was it's sacrificial purpose? The poem Wu Men Zhu Zhi Ci describes the practice of offering red lotus roots and qingtuan as a sacrifice to ancestors during the Qingming Festival. It also mentions the "105 days" after the winter solstice, which corresponds to the start of the Cold Food Festival. According to the Book of Rites from the Zhou Dynasty, people were required to extinguish their fires and observe a three-day period of fasting during the festival.

In ancient times, people used to make a variety of foods in advance, including glutinous rice pudding, wheat pudding, and almond pudding, to satisfy their hunger during the Cold Food Festival without the need to cook. Nowadays, qingtuan is often made using Qingai, or mugwort, mixed with glutinous rice flour, and then filled with sweet red bean paste or date paste. The green color of qingtuan comes from the Qingai or other natural green ingredients. The green color of qingtuan is said to represent the new growth of spring, as well as the rebirth and renewal of life. The Chinese mugwort used in the recipe is believed to have medicinal properties and is said to help purify the body.

Ingredients:

200g glutinous rice flour
150g Chinese mugwort (also known as Artemisia argyi)
100g granulated sugar
50g vegetable oil
100ml water
Red bean paste (optional)

Method:

Rinse the Chinese mugwort and chop it into small pieces.
Add the chopped mugwort and 100ml of water to a blender or food processor. Blend until the mixture is smooth.
Strain the mugwort mixture through a fine mesh sieve to remove any remaining solids.
In a mixing bowl, combine the glutinous rice flour, sugar, and vegetable oil. Mix well.
Gradually add the mugwort water to the dry ingredients, stirring constantly, until a dough forms. The dough should be smooth and slightly sticky.
Divide the dough into small pieces (about the size of a ping pong ball).
Flatten each piece of dough with your hands and add a small spoonful of red bean paste (if desired) in the center.
Fold the edges of the dough around the red bean paste, pinching them together to seal it inside.
Roll the dough between your palms to form a smooth ball.
Repeat steps 6-9 until all of the dough has been used.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
Drop the rice balls into the boiling water and cook for 5-7 minutes, or until they float to the surface.
Use a slotted spoon to remove the rice balls from the water and transfer them to a bowl of cold water to cool.
Drain the rice balls and serve.