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Recipe courtesy of
Andy Liang
for
Food Network Kitchen
Recipe courtesy of
Andy Liang
for
Food Network Kitchen
Watch how to make this recipe.
Pearl Meatballs
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- Level: Easy
- Total: 8 hr 45 min (includes soaking time)
- Active: 30 min
- Yield: 4 to 6 servings
-
- Nutritional Analysis
- Per Serving
- Serving Size
- 1 of 6 servings
- Calories
- 342
- Total Fat
- 13 g
- Saturated Fat
- 5 g
- Carbohydrates
- 28 g
- Dietary Fiber
- 1 g
- Sugar
- 1 g
- Protein
- 25 g
- Cholesterol
- 163 mg
- Sodium
- 460 mg
Pearl meatballs are surprisingly easy to make and a fun alternative to traditional wrapped dumplings. A flavorful pork and shrimp filling is covered in a layer of rice grains that steam up to resemble glistening pearls. It's a celebratory dish and a traditional symbol of unity and prosperity in Chinese culture. The base is a cinch to make, combining ground pork and chopped shrimp with seasonings and garlic chives (see Cook's Note). Simply mix the ingredients, shape the filling into balls and roll each in soaked sticky rice. As the meatballs steam, the rice becomes tender and translucent, creating a delicate pearl-like coating around the savory meatballs. With just a few simple steps and basic ingredients, these delicious treats make an impressive addition to your next Lunar New Year dinner or at-home dim sum.
- Level: Easy
- Total: 8 hr 45 min (includes soaking time)
- Active: 30 min
- Yield: 4 to 6 servings
-
- Nutritional Analysis
- Per Serving
- Serving Size
- 1 of 6 servings
- Calories
- 342
- Total Fat
- 13 g
- Saturated Fat
- 5 g
- Carbohydrates
- 28 g
- Dietary Fiber
- 1 g
- Sugar
- 1 g
- Protein
- 25 g
- Cholesterol
- 163 mg
- Sodium
- 460 mg
Ingredients
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Directions
Special equipment:
two 10-inch steamer baskets; a steamer basket lid- Place the sticky rice in a medium bowl with enough cold water to cover by 2 inches. Cover the bowl and refrigerate at least 8 hours or overnight.
- When ready to make the meatballs, combine the pork, shrimp, egg, garlic chives, Shaoxing rice wine, soy sauce, cornstarch, bouillon, five-spice powder, ginger, white pepper and 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt in a medium bowl. Mix with your hands or chopsticks until combined. Continue mixing vigorously until the mixture is sticky and a film forms around the sides of the bowl, 1 to 2 minutes. Refrigerate uncovered until the pork is firm, about 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, wet a 10-inch bamboo steamer with water and set the steamer inside a wok. Add enough cold water to come 1/4 inch up the bottom edge of the steamer basket. Remove the bamboo steamer from the water and bring the water to a boil. Line the bottom of 2 steamer baskets with a single layer of napa cabbage, 3 to 4 leaves in each.
- Drain the sticky rice into a fine-mesh strainer, discarding the water. Rinse the rice once to remove some starch. Transfer it to a large flat plate and spread into an even layer.
- Divide the pork mixture into 16 portions, each about 2 heaping tablespoons. Roll each portion into a ball with damp hands. Gently roll the balls one at a time in the sticky rice until evenly covered; you don't need to completely cover the meatballs with rice. Place 8 meatballs in each lined steamer basket, spacing them out evenly.
- Stack the two steamer baskets on top of one another, carefully place them into the wok and cover with a lid. Steam until the rice is translucent and the meat is cooked through (it will register 165 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center of a meatball), 12 to 13 minutes.
- Turn off the heat, carefully remove the steamer baskets from the wok, unstack them and garnish each meatball with a slice of chile. Serve hot with Chinkiang vinegar and/or chili crisp for dipping.
Cook’s Note
Also known as Chinese chives, garlic chives are available at grocery stores specializing in East Asian ingredients and online.
