Dec. 21, 2020 is the Winter Solstice, marking the start of the Winter Solstice Festival (冬至) celebrated in many Asian cultures, especially in East Asia.

One important part of the celebrations is the eating of glutinous rice balls, or tang yuan (汤圆).

Tang yuan, usually filled with a sweet filling such as sesame or peanut and served in ginger soup, is something many Singaporeans are familiar with.

But not many are familiar with savoury tang yuan, which is most commonly found in Hakka cuisine.

As part of its “How We Ate” content series, the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY) recently highlighted this dish made by the owners of local Hakka eatery Plum Village Restaurant.

You can also find glutinous rice balls with savoury fillings like minced meat and mushrooms.

The owners of Plum Village Restaurant make the former version: Pork meatballs and handmade glutinous rice balls put together with yam and sweet potato, and served in a rich soup made from dried seafood and salted vegetables.

Making glutinous rice balls with yam and sweet potato gives them a chewier texture.

Here are some photos to whet your appetite:

Unfortunately, there wasn't a recipe provided.

Neither is the dish sold at Plum Village Restaurant, as it is a family recipe that the owners use for their reunion dinners.

However, Mothership called Plum Village Restaurant and confirmed that they are giving away samples of their Hakka tang yuan to diners who dine in.

If you would like to head down to try this dish, do give them a call to check if it is still being offered.

If you would like to try your hand at making Hakka tang yuan, The Woks of Life provides a rather detailed recipe and set of instructions which is quite easy to follow.

Its recipe is for Hakka tang yuan with a filling consisting of ground pork, shiitake mushroom, dried shrimp, and salted preserved radish.

If you don't want to make stuffed tang yuan, this YouTube video provides a recipe for making glutinous rice balls with orange and purple sweet potatoes.

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Top images via MCCY/Facebook.