People in Taiwan celebrate the Lantern Festival on the 15th day of the Lunar New Year. Decorating paper lanterns is a classic holiday tradition, but there's also a tasty treat that many people start buying in bulk in the days leading up to the Lantern Festival.
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It's the time of year for tangyuan! Tangyuan are small, glutinous rice balls that are stuffed with sweet or savory fillings. Eating tangyuan during the Lantern Festival is supposed to be a symbol of reunion and harmony.
Although the Lantern Festival isn't until Sunday, people are already lining up to eat tangyuan in restaurants or buying frozen ones to take home. Some customers say they're worried shops will run out of tangyuan due to high demand, so they want to stock up early.
One restaurant owner says he needs to make around 7,000 tangyuan every day because some companies pre-order 100 servings at a time. Another shop owner says customers have already bought almost 70% of his tangyuan, and he expects to sell out by Thursday.
Making fresh tangyuan takes time, from shaping and stuffing the balls, to rolling and powdering them before and after boiling. But restaurant owners are committed to working hard so that families around Taiwan can enjoy fresh tangyuan together for the Lantern Festival.