Lantern Festival and other important gatherings. Although they look alike, they are two separate things. The fundamental difference lies in their making, fillings, cooking and storage. Yuanxiao has sweet and solid fillings and is served in a thick broth. The surface tends to be dry and soft and has a short shelf life. The process of making the dish begins with preparing the solid fillings that are then cut into small pieces. The filling is dipped into water then the dry glutinous rice flour repeatedly, until a round shape is achieved. Tangyuan can be stuffed with a variety of soft filling that are either sweet or salty, and is served in a thinner soup. The texture is smooth and glutinous, and can be stored frozen for a long time. Tangyuan is made by wrapping the soft filling in a glutinous rice "dough" and shaping it into a ball. The southern variation is served in a broth that changes depending on the filling. Daikon radish and fish cake broth is used for savory fillings, or tong sui, which is "sugar water," for sweeter options. Cultural significance For many Chinese families in mainland China as well as overseas, Tangyuan is traditionally eaten during the Lantern Festival, Chinese New Year, and gatherings with family to celebrate. Its round shape and the bowls in which they are served in holds cultural and symbolic significance, symbolizing togetherness, unity, and reunion. Description Tangyuan is a versatile dessert with a delicate taste and soft, chewy texture. While it can be served in its simplest form as a plain white ball of glutinous rice, it can also be stuffed, colored, fried, and boiled. The process of making Tangyuan is comparable to making dumplings: wrap the glutinous rice around the filling that is filled with lard oil and shape it into a ball with your hands. Tangyuan can either be sweet and savory, using more traditional fillings like black sesame. Sweet Tangyuan can be served in ginger-infused syrup, whereas savory Tangyuan are served in a clear soup broth. Unfilled Tangyuan are served as part of a sweet dessert soup known in Cantonese cuisine as tong sui (literally: "sugar water"). Common soup bases Red bean soup Black sesame soup Ginger and rock sugar Fermented glutinous rice (), Sweet Osmanthus and rock sugar. While tangyuan began as a traditional delicacy eaten during festivals, it has now evolved into a dessert that