Pan-fried tangyuan flips the script on these classic glutinous rice balls. Instead of boiling them in sweet soup, you pan-fry frozen tangyuan in a nonstick pan with a splash of water and a lid. The steam cooks them through, then the direct heat crisps up the bottoms into a golden shell while the filling stays molten and gooey inside. Three ingredients, one pan, pure magic.

Ingredients

  • Frozen tangyuan (any filling — black sesame is classic)
  • Neutral oil
  • Water

Singapore Swap

  • Frozen tangyuan: FairPrice, Sheng Siong, and Don Don Donki all stock frozen tangyuan in the frozen dessert section. The black sesame-filled variety is the most popular. Korean marts along Tanjong Pagar also carry filled glutinous rice balls in flavours like chocolate and matcha.
  • Neutral oil: Any vegetable, canola, or sunflower oil from the supermarket. Avoid sesame or olive oil here — you want a clean, neutral flavour.

Instructions

  1. Heat a nonstick pan over medium heat and add a thin layer of neutral oil.
  2. Place the frozen tangyuan in a single layer in the pan. Do not defrost them first.
  3. Add a splash of water to the pan to create steam.
  4. Cover the pan with a lid and let the tangyuan cook until the water has fully evaporated. The steam will cook them through.
  5. Remove the lid and let the bottoms of the tangyuan cook undisturbed against the pan.
  6. Pan fry until the bottoms are golden brown and crisp. You can gently shake the pan to check.
  7. Serve warm while the filling inside is still molten and gooey.

Tips

  • Do not move the tangyuan once the water has evaporated — let them sit undisturbed so the bottoms develop a proper golden crust.
  • Use frozen tangyuan straight from the freezer. Defrosted ones become sticky and are harder to handle in the pan.
  • Eat them warm. The contrast between the crispy shell and the hot, flowing filling inside is the whole point of this dish.