Tanghulu facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Tanghulu / Tang hulu

Traditional bingtang hulu (Shanghai, 2008)
Alternative names	Bingtang hulu
Type	Confections
Place of origin	China
Region or state	Cities in China
Main ingredients	Crataegus pinnatifida, sugar syrup
Food energy (per serving)	200 kcal (837 kJ)

Tanghulu (pronounced tang hoo-loo) is a super popular traditional snack from North China. It's also known as Bingtanghulu. This yummy treat is made of several fruits on a bamboo stick, covered in a crunchy, hard sugar syrup.

The name "Tanghulu" comes from its shape, which often looks a bit like a calabash (a type of gourd). It's not just regular candied fruit. The sugar coating is very hard, like a candy shell. People have been enjoying this sweet and sour snack since the Song Dynasty in China, which was a very long time ago! It's still a favorite all over northern China today.

What is Tanghulu Made Of?

The most traditional fruit used for Tanghulu is the Chinese hawthorn (Crataegus pinnatifida). These small, red fruits are skewered onto a stick. Before they are dipped, the seeds are usually taken out. Sometimes, the hawthorn fruits are even filled with sweet Red bean paste!

Popular Fruit Varieties

While hawthorn is the classic, many other fruits are now used to make Tanghulu. You might find sticks with cherry tomatoes, mandarin oranges, strawberries, blueberries, pineapples, kiwifruit, bananas, or grapes. Each fruit adds its own unique flavor to the sweet sugar coating.

Gallery

See also

In Spanish: Tanghulu para niños