Year of Dragon food celebrations held in Ningbo

Shen Shiyi, owner of a food shop in Ningbo, displays dragon-themed tangyuan made in celebration of the Year of the Dragon. [Photo/Wu Daqing for chinadaily.com.cn]

As the Year of the Dragon approaches, various dragon-themed culinary delights are popping up in Ningbo, Zhejiang province.

A food shop in Yuyao city recently launched a series of dragon-themed tangyuan products, which Shen Shiyi, the shop owner, is busy making with her husband. 

"Creating dragon-themed tangyuan is not a simple task. To ensure the tangyuan is sweet but not greasy, we've come up with a standardized ratio of ingredients," Shen said, "we use a traditional sesame filling made by my mother-in-law for the tangyuan. She is a native of Ningbo and a pro at making tangyuan. During festivals, she always makes tangyuan with traditional sesame fillings. She infuses every bite with the warmth of family."

Shen, who has years of experience in dessert making, is responsible for the main part of the process – shaping them into dragons.

Due to the intricate production process, Shen's family is working overtime to ensure all orders are delivered on time.