Chinese Pearl Balls
A delicious and authentic noodles and dumplings recipe for Chinese Pearl Balls, prepared with traditional seasonings and techniques.
Ingredients
- • 1 cup glutinous rice
- • 2 tablespoons Chinese dried prawns ((optional))
- • 1 lb minced pork ((*Footnote 1))
- • 2 eggs
- • 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
- • 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
- • 2 teaspoons ginger (grated)
- • 4 spring onions (thinly sliced)
- • 1 teaspoon sugar
- • 1 teaspoon salt
- • 1/4 teaspoon white pepper powder
- • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg powder
- • 2 tablespoons cornflour
- • 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
- • 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
Preparation Steps
Add glutinous rice and dried prawns into separate bowls. Add cold water to cover. Let soak for at least 4 hours. (*Footnote 2)
Drain glutinous rice and dried prawns. Place the glutinous rice onto a medium plate with rim or a large bowl. Finely mince the rehydrated dried prawns.
Combine pork, eggs, dried prawns, light soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, ginger, spring onions, sugar, salt, white pepper, and nutmeg in a large bowl. Stir in one direction, in a circular motion until it’s sticky. Add cornflour and panko breadcrumbs. Stir to mix well. Pour in the sesame oil. Stir again to combine.
Line your steamer with baking parchment with holes cut in it, or a few layers of wet cheesecloth.
Scoop out about 2 tablespoons of meat paste (you can use a cookie scoop), shape it into a ball, and roll it in the glutinous rice, until the surface is completely coated with rice. Gently press with your hand so that the rice sticks to it. Place meatballs onto the lined steamer. Make the rest of the meatballs using the same method, spaced 1” (2.5 cm) apart.
Add 2” (5 cm) water to a steamer and bring it to a boil.
Steam the meatballs for 15 minutes, or until cooked through (*Footnote 3). Serve as a main dish with or without rice (*Footnote 4).