Pearl Balls Recipe

Pearl Balls Recipe

Here's a simple Pearl Balls Recipe for making "Pearl Balls," a popular Chinese dish

PEARL BALLS RECIPE INGREDIENTS

400g piece boneless, skinless pork belly, very finely chopped (or ground pork)


1 small shallot


2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled


½ cube organic vegetable bouillon


1 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder


1 teaspoon Shaosing rice wine


2 pinches cracked sea salt


2 pinches of ground white pepper


1 large egg yolk, beaten


1 teaspoon cornflour, plus more for rolling


1 cup glutinous white rice, soaked overnight in cold water and drained

dipping sauces

Black rice vinegar with ginger matchsticks


Chilli sauce (Lingham's)


Soy, sesame oil, rice vinegar, sesame seeds, fresh chilies, coriander


method


Place the pork belly on a large cutting board and very finely mince it with a sharp, heavy knife or cleaver until the fat is broken down; spread it out on the board into a thin layer (or use 2 large heavy cleavers to speed up the process). Using a microplane, grate the shallot, ginger, and bouillon cube over the meat. Sprinkle the five-spice, Shaosing, salt, pepper, egg yolk, and cornstarch over the pork and use the knife (or a spatula) to mix the ingredients to combine well.


Put some cornflour in a shallow bowl, using your hands, roll the pork mixture into ping-pong ball sized balls and roll them in the cornstarch to lightly coat. Shake off the excess starch and transfer the meatballs to a plate.


Working with wet hands, put some of the soaked rice in your palm and roll the meatball in it with your hands, pressing gently, until it is evenly coated in rice. Continue rolling until the meatballs are all coated with rice.


Fill a wok 1/3 with water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Put a shallow flat bowl or plate with a lip into a bamboo steamer basket (make sure the plate is at least ½- inch smaller than the diameter of the basket) and evenly space the rice balls on the plate, being sure they do not touch each other. Cover the basket with the lid and lower it into the wok. Steam the meatballs, adding water to the wok as necessary, steam the pearl balls for 20 to 25 minutes, until firm and set.


Serve the meatballs in bamboo baskets on the table serve with bamboo picks on the side for skewering and dipping into vinegar, chili oil, or soy sesame sauce.










Pearl Balls


Ingredients:


1 pound ground pork or chicken


1 cup glutinous rice (also known as sticky rice), soaked for 2 hours and drained


2 tablespoons soy sauce


1 tablespoon oyster sauce


1 teaspoon sesame oil


1/2 teaspoon salt


1/4 teaspoon white pepper


1/4 cup water chestnuts, finely chopped


2 green onions, finely chopped


1 egg, beaten


1/4 cup cornstarch


Oil, for frying

Pearl Balls Recipe Instructions:

In a large bowl, combine the ground pork or chicken, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, salt, and white pepper. Mix well to combine.


Add the water chestnuts and green onions to the meat mixture, and mix until evenly distributed.


Take a small portion of the meat mixture and flatten it in your hand. Place a small amount of glutinous rice in the center and shape the meat around the rice, forming a ball. Repeat with the remaining meat and rice.


Dip each pearl ball into the beaten egg and then roll it in cornstarch, making sure it is coated evenly.


Heat oil in a deep frying pan or wok over medium heat. Carefully add the pearl balls and fry till they are golden brown and cooked through about 6-8 minutes. Make sure to turn them occasionally for even cooking.


Once cooked, remove the pearl balls from the oil and drain on paper towels to remove excess oil.


Serve the pearl balls hot as an appetizer or main dish. You can serve them with sweet and sour sauce or your favorite dipping sauce.


Enjoy your homemade Pearl Balls!


Please note that this recipe is a basic version of Pearl Balls. You can customize it by adding other ingredients like minced shrimp, water chestnuts, or mushrooms to the filling, and adjust the seasonings according to your taste.