Lantern Festival is on Saturday and business is booming at traditional glutinous rice ball shops, with extra hands rushing to keep up with demand.
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As the Lantern Festival approaches, shop owners prepare glutinous rice balls, known as tangyuan. Tossed in glutinous rice flour-filled bamboo sieves, tangyuan are repeatedly shaken and coated with water, a time-consuming process aimed at achieving a deliciously chewy and fragrant texture.
Eager buyers flock to shops in Nanmen Market and traditional stores near Shuanglian MRT Station to purchase them before the Lantern Festival. Shop owner Mrs. Jen (任太太) says that all the tangyuan in her store are handmade, which explains why customers are willing to wait in long lines to buy them. Shop owners have prepared weeks in advance, stocking up on ingredients and arranging deliveries.
Some stores have even embraced online shopping, with same-day delivery available in Taipei and New Taipei City, with tangyuan boxes printed with auspicious phrases attracting many customers seeking good luck.
For those who believe in folk traditions, consuming three or multiples of three tangyuan is said to invite good luck, symbolizing the arrival of prosperity. However, doctors caution about the high calorie content of the treats and advise consuming them in moderation.