China celebrates the Lantern Festival, a holiday marked by the tradition of eating “yuanxiao”, sweet rice balls that are a true delight for many Chinese. And how could it be otherwise, someone thought that the marine animals of some cities in the country could also enjoy this tradition. Of course, adapting the recipe to your palate.
The Shanghai Ocean Park and the Harbin Polar Park have decided to offer some “goodies” to their guests in the form of “yauanxiao”. And what is traditionally rice with various ingredients that sweeten the dessert, they have changed it for a combination of almost crushed fish and ice.
Thus, in Shanghai you can see how orcas, sea lions and dolphins enjoy the balls that have been prepared for them for the Lantern Festival. Likewise, in Harbin, you can see polar bears and penguins feasting on such tasty treats.
The Lantern Festival, also called Shangyuan Festival, is celebrated on the fifteenth day of the first month of the Chinese lunisolar calendar. It usually falls in February or early March on our calendar and marks the last day of traditional Chinese New Year celebrations.
It is a very colorful festival because the streets of towns and cities in the country are decorated with colorful lanterns and multiple shapes for the occasion, which is why the festival takes its name.
The original recipe for the sweet prepared for the occasion, yuanxiao, consists of a glutinous rice ball typically filled with sweet red bean paste, sesame paste or peanut butter.
