Tang Yuan (Glutinous Rice Balls)

To Make the Filling: Grind the seeds or nuts in a mortar and pestle to a fine but not powdery consistency. In a small saucepan, melt the lard. In a small bowl, mix the lard with the sugar and ground nuts. Chill the mixture in the refrigerator or freezer for a few minutes before use.

To Make the Skin: In a medium heatproof bowl, whisk together the glutinous rice flour and regular rice flour (or tapioca flour). Add the water, starting with 9 tablespoons (133g) and adding an additional 1 tablespoon (15g) if necessary, to make a soft but non-sticky dough. Divide the dough in half. Working on a surface dusted with rice flour, roll each half into a cylinder about 1 1/2 inches thick and cut the dough into segments about 1 inch wide; dust with more glutinous rice flour as needed to prevent sticking.

To Make the Dumplings: Take one piece of dough and make an indent with your thumb to flatten it. Place the filling into the indent and draw the sides of the dough up to enclose it. Roll it gently between your palms to make a smooth ball. Lay the dumplings on a tray dusted with glutinous rice flour until you are ready to cook them. They can also be refrigerated or frozen.

To Cook the Dumplings: Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Add the dumplings and gently stir to prevent sticking at the bottom of the pot. Simmer for 15 minutes, taking care not to let the water boil vigorously or else the dumpling skins will tear. The dumplings are done when the skins are almost translucent. Ladle the dumplings into soup bowls along with the cooking water.