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1
Roast the black sesame seeds in a dry pan until fragrant. Grind them with the sugar to a fine powder, then work in the lard until a cohesive, spreadable paste forms. Portion into small balls of equal weight, refrigerate until firm to the touch.
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2
Pour the boiling water gradually into the glutinous rice flour, mixing with a spatula or chopsticks as you pour. When cool enough to handle, knead to a smooth, pliable dough that does not stick to the hands. The partial gelatinisation of the starch is the mechanism; the dough is ready when it yields without tearing and holds its shape cleanly.
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3
Divide the dough into equal portions. Flatten each piece in the palm, place a chilled sesame ball at the centre, and gather the dough up around the filling. This is where the dish lives or dies: the seal must be absolute — any crack will allow the filling to escape into the cooking water and the broth will be lost. Roll each finished ball between the palms until perfectly smooth and round with no visible seam.
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4
Combine the water, sliced ginger, and rock sugar in a saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer and hold until the rock sugar has fully dissolved and the broth carries a clear, sharp ginger fragrance.
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5
Bring a separate large pot of water to a rolling boil. Lower the tangyuan in carefully. Cook until they float to the surface — the float signals that the glutinous rice starch has fully gelatinised — then continue for 1 minute more. Remove with a slotted spoon.
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6
Ladle the hot ginger broth into bowls and transfer the tangyuan into it. The skins should be translucent and glossy; they should offer slight resistance and then yield with elastic pull.