Two workers make diexie glutinous rice balls at a snack store owned by Ren Jilan. [Photo/Nantong Daily]

During the Lantern Festival, Chinese people usually eat small glutinous rice balls with sweet fillings known as yuanxiao or tangyuan, depending on how they are made.

In Rugao and Rudong, cities in Nantong, local residents usually eat diexie glutinous rice balls, a traditional snack in the cities, during the festival.

Unlike tangyuan, diexie glutinous rice balls are produced similarly to yuanxiao, and both are rolled out of the glutinous rice flour.

"It is important to use the glutinous rice harvested this year to make the wrapper," said Ren Jilan, who owns a snack store in Rugao. "This will make them whiter and tastier."

Well-cooked diexie glutinous rice balls. [Photo/Nantong Daily]

Ren also noted that before making the wrapper, the fillings should be placed in the freezer until they become solid.

The fillings are then cut into small balls and rolled in the glutinous rice flour until the filling balls are evenly covered with glutinous rice flour. The balls are then put into the glutinous rice flour again after being dipped in water. The procedure is repeated 10 times until the rice ball becomes a goose egg-sized diexie rice ball.

Ren believes that boiling diexie glutinous rice balls is the key to their taste. These balls should be put into boiling water and steamed over a soft fire until they emerge from the water. The diexie glutinous rice balls are well cooked after being simmered for several minutes.