Steamed Pearl Balls Recipes

STEAMED RICE PEARL BALLS WITH SPICY MANGO SALSA

Steps:

• Soak the rice in a bowl of cold water for at least 4 hours, or overnight. Strain and dry on a clean towel. In a bowl, combine the pork, egg, soy, sugar, pepper, ginger and cornstarch. Mix well then add the dried and fresh shiitakes, water chestnuts and cilantro. Using wet hands, make small balls the size of a ping-pong ball, then roll them in the soaked rice. Press the rice in firmly. In a large steamer basket (or 2 levels) sprayed with a non-stick spray, place the balls, cover and steam hard for 30 to 35 minutes. Make sure there is a lot of water to keep the steam going strong.
• PLATING: Place a small bowl of chutney in the center of a clear plate glass plate and surround with rice balls. Place glass plate on top of another plate filled with rice.
• SPICY MANGO SALSA: In a bowl, combine all. Let stand for at least 30 minutes so flavors blend.

PEARL BALLS (ZHēNZHū WáNZI)

Steps:

• Drain the soaked rice and dry the grains well, spreading them out on a sheet pan and patting dry with a paper towel. Drier grains adhere to the meat mixture better.
• Combine the ground meat, water chestnuts, scallions, ginger, soy sauce, rice wine, cornstarch, egg, salt, and pepper in a mixing bowl until well blended. Divide the mixture into 24 meatballs, lightly wetting the palms of your hands with water to help shape them (the mixture will be wet and sticky). Refrigerate for 20 minutes to firm up.
• Roll the meatballs in the soaked rice, ensuring each meatball is covered in rice grains.
• Prepare bamboo steamer trays by lining with lightly oiled parchment paper. Ideally, three 9-inch steamer trays will comfortably hold all 24 balls (8 per tray). If you don't have enough trays, you can steam them in batches.
• Place the pearl balls on the steamer tray, spacing them about 1 inch apart so they are not touching. Stack the trays carefully and cover with a lid. Place the steamer over boiling water, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Steam for 15 to 20 minutes until the rice grains are cooked through.
• Serve with soy dipping sauce, if desired. Refrigerate leftover dumplings, return them to room temperature, and steam them for about 5 minutes to reheat.

STEAMED PEARL BALLS

Steps:

• Place 1/2 cup rice in a bowl; cover with water to 1 inch above rice, and let stand 1 hour. Drain rice well; place rice in a shallow dish, and set aside.
• Combine chicken and next 7 ingredients (chicken through oil) in a large bowl; stir well. Drop chicken mixture by rounded tablespoons into rice, rolling to form rice-coated balls.
• Line a bamboo steamer with steamed cabbage leaves. Place balls 1/2 inch apart in steamer; cover with steamer lid. Add water to a large skillet to a depth of 1 inch; bring to a boil. Place steamer in skillet, and steam balls 20 minutes or until rice is tender. Remove balls from steamer.

STEAMED PEARL BALLS

Steps:

• Soak shrimp, if using, in just enough hot water to cover, until soft, about 30 minutes; drain. Place sweet rice in a bowl and cover with 3 cups water. Let stand about 30 minutes. Drain and set aside on a plate.
• Place pork in a large bowl and stir in 2 tablespoons of cold water. Add shrimp, scallion, ginger, soy sauce, salt, cornstarch, and egg and mix until well combined.
• Dampen hands with cold water and roll 1 tablespoon of the pork mixture in palms to form a 1 1/4-inch-diameter ball. Roll the ball in the rice to completely cover with grains. Continue, using all the pork mixture.
• Fill a wok with 1 inch of water. Place a small heatproof bowl upside down in the center and then place a plate on top of the bowl, making a steaming rack. Cover the wok and bring the water to a boil. Place 12 to 14 pearl balls on the plate and steam, covered, until rice is cooked, about 20 minutes. Alternatively, fill a bamboo steamer with pearl balls and steam over the wok. Serve immediately.