Green Rice Ball — Qing Tuan
Quick Info
- Flavor
- Mildly sweet with a distinctive grassy, herbal note from mugwort juice. Fillings range from sweet red bean to savory pork floss.
- Texture
- Soft, sticky, and chewy glutinous rice exterior with smooth filling inside
- Spice Level
- Not spicy
- Temperature
- Room Temperature
Ingredients
Allergens
Possible
These ingredients may vary by restaurant. Ask your server to confirm.
The Story
Qing Tuan are a springtime tradition tied to the Qingming Festival (清明节, Tomb Sweeping Day) in early April. Families in the Jiangnan region — Shanghai, Jiangsu, and Zhejiang — have made these vivid green balls for centuries as offerings to ancestors and as seasonal snacks. The green color comes from mugwort or barley grass, plants that grow abundantly in early spring. In recent years, creative fillings like salted egg yolk custard have turned them into a viral food trend.
What to Expect
Small, intensely green balls about the size of a golf ball, with a glossy, slightly sticky surface. Biting in reveals a soft, chewy skin with a pleasant grassy aroma and a sweet filling — traditionally red bean paste. The texture is wonderfully mochi-like. The mugwort gives a subtle herbal flavor that tastes unmistakably of spring.
Tips
Best eaten fresh within a day or two — the skin hardens as it cools. Peak season is March through April, when bakeries across eastern China sell them. The trendy salted egg yolk (咸蛋黄) filling is worth trying if available. These are gluten-free since they use glutinous rice flour, not wheat.