Chinese Pearl Meatballs Recipe

Steamed meatballs coated in glutinous rice so the grains puff up like pearls.

🍳 Cook: 15 min

Ingredients

200 g		pork or beef mince
120 g		pork fat (or use 220g skinless pork belly and 100g beef mince; dice small)
2		dried shitake mushrooms
1 tablespoon	15 ml	dried shrimp (available in Chinese supermarket)
2		thin slices ginger
1		small carrot (peeled)
1 1/4 cup	300 ml	long grain glutinous rice (soaked in water for 1 hour)
2 tablespoons	30 ml	light soy sauce, for the seasoning
1/2 teaspoon	2.5 ml	salt
2 teaspoons	10 ml	sugar
1/2 tablespoon	7.5 ml	potato starch (or corn flour)
1		large egg

Use a food processor to mince the meat together and after the meat has totally blended add an egg to the mix and process for another 30 seconds.
Soak the dried shitake mushrooms and dried shrimp in separate bowls with warm water until they are soft. Once soft, chop both finely.
Chop the ginger and carrot finely.
Place all the meat into a mixing bowl and start to mix the meat in the same direction all the time, i.e., clockwise or anti-clockwise (up to you). Mix it for 3-4 minutes and then beat the meat for a couple of minutes to help it get that wonderful slightly firm and springy texture.
Mix all the ingredients together with all the seasoning and mix them evenly.
Wet both hands with cold water and roll the mixture into small but equal-sized balls.
Coat the meatballs with a layer of glutinous rice (sticky rice).
Use a bamboo steamer or regular steamer to steam the meatballs for 12-15 minutes at full power. If using a bamboo steamer in a wok, check the water in the pan often in case it dries out before the meatballs are cooked.