Name: Ngau Yuk Yuen (Cantonese Steamed Beef Balls)
Cook time: P0Y0M0DT0H50M0.000S
Total time: P0Y0M0DT3H10M0.000S
Yield: 12 servings
Cuisine: asian
Ingredients: 1 pound top blade steak; Kosher salt; 1 teaspoon lye water (or alkaline water) (see Cook’s Notes); 1 1/2-inch-square piece of dried tangerine peel (see Cook’s Notes); 6 tablespoons tapioca or potato starch; 1 tablespoon oyster sauce; 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine; 1 teaspoon light soy sauce; 2 tablespoons sugar; 1/4 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder, optional; 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon neutral oil, such as canola or vegetable oil; 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil; 3 ounces pork fat, finely minced (about 1/2 cup); 1/4 cup cilantro leaves, finely chopped; 1/4 cup chopped water chestnuts, optional; 1 ounce small dried tofu skins (fu zhu), optional; Worcestershire sauce, for serving

Directions

Special equipment:

a bamboo steamer basket with a lid

Trim off the silver skin or tough membrane from the steaks (the membrane usually runs through the center of the steaks). Coarsely dice the meat and pulse it in a food processor until it starts to clump together and is well chopped but not a paste, about 15 pulses. Transfer the beef to a large bowl and set aside.
Mix 1 tablespoon kosher salt, the lye water and 6 tablespoons cold water in a small bowl until the salt dissolves. Drizzle about a quarter of the saltwater mixture over the ground beef and stir in one direction with gloved hands or pair of chopsticks until the water is absorbed and a sticky film starts to form on the sides of the bowl. Repeat the same steps with the remaining salt water until all the water is used. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Soak the dried tangerine peel in enough hot water to cover in a small bowl until soft and pliable, about 30 minutes. Squeeze excess water from the peel and scrape off any white pith with a spoon if there is any. Finely mince the peel and set aside.
After the beef has chilled, whisk the tapioca starch with 6 tablespoons cold water in a small bowl until combined. Drizzle the slurry into the meat mixture a bit at a time and stir in the same direction as you stirred in the lye water until all the slurry has been absorbed.
Sprinkle the oyster sauce, Shaoxing wine, light soy sauce, sugar, 1 teaspoon kosher salt and the chicken bouillon powder if using over the beef mixture and stir in the same direction until evenly mixed and absorbed. Stir in the neutral oil and sesame oil in the same direction until evenly mixed. Scoop the mixture into your hands and then throw the mixture forcefully back into the bowl. Repeat this step four more times to help develop the meat’s bouncy texture.
Mix in the pork fat, cilantro, minced tangerine peel and water chestnuts if using in the same direction until evenly distributed. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, if using, soak the tofu skins in a large bowl of water until soft and pliable, about 30 minutes.
Place a bamboo steamer basket in the bottom of a wok and fill with enough water to come up 1/4 inch above the outer edge of the basket but not so much that it touches the rack. Cover and bring the water to a boil over high heat.
Divide the soaked tofu skins in a single layer over four small heatproof plates. Scoop three 2-ounce balls of meat mixture with an ice-cream scoop and place them on top of the tofu skins on one plate; alternatively, use a 1/4-cup measuring cup to scoop up the meat and round it quickly and gently by hand. Leave about 1/2 inch between the balls. Repeat with the remaining beef mixture and the other plates. Refrigerate the plates of beef balls while you steam the first batch.
Place a plate of beef balls in the steamer basket; if you have more than one bamboo basket you can steam two plates by stacking one steamer basket on top of another. Cover and steam over high heat until the beef balls are cooked through, about 12 minutes. Turn off the heat and let cool for 2 minutes. Repeat the steaming process until all the plates are cooked. Drizzle the beef balls with Worcestershire sauce and enjoy warm. You can also freeze the balls (see Cook’s Note).

Cook’s Note

Lye water and dried tangerine peel can both be found Asian markets and online. We recommend whole pieces of dried tangerine peel because they’re more flavorful than precut peels. Removing the white pith from the peel after soaking reduces bitterness. To freeze the beef balls, cook and cool them and transfer them with the tofu skins to a plate or baking sheet lined with parchment leaving space between each. Freeze until solid, at least 4 hours. Transfer to a freezer bag and freeze for up to 1 month. To reheat, steam frozen beef balls in a steamer basket on a heatproof plate until soft and heated through, about 12 minutes.