Description
Pearl Balls, also known as pearl meatballs or steamed sticky rice meatballs, are a traditional Chinese dim sum dish made with seasoned ground pork rolled in soaked glutinous rice and steamed until tender. The rice turns translucent, giving the dish its signature ‘pearl’ appearance.
Ingredients
- 1 cup glutinous rice (sticky rice)
- 12 dried shiitake mushrooms
- 1 pound ground pork (20% fat preferred)
- 1/4 cup carrot, finely minced
- 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 2 green onions, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon ginger, finely grated
Instructions
- Rinse the glutinous rice until the water runs clear. Soak it in water overnight or for at least 6 hours. Drain and set aside.
- Soak dried shiitake mushrooms in warm water until fully rehydrated, about 20–30 minutes. Squeeze out excess water, remove stems, and finely mince the caps.
- In a large bowl, combine ground pork, chopped mushrooms, carrot, soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, oyster sauce, sugar, salt, white pepper, cornstarch, sesame oil, green onions, and ginger. Mix well until sticky and fully incorporated.
- Form the pork mixture into 1-inch meatballs using your hands or a small cookie scoop.
- Roll each meatball in the soaked and drained glutinous rice, pressing gently so the rice sticks and covers the surface evenly.
- Line a steamer basket with parchment paper or cabbage leaves. Place the rice-coated meatballs into the steamer, leaving some space between them.
- Bring water to a boil in a steamer pot. Steam the pearl balls over medium-high heat for 20–25 minutes, until the pork is cooked through and the rice turns translucent.
- Serve hot with soy sauce, chili sauce, or your favorite dipping sauce.
Notes
- Use short-grain glutinous rice for best texture.
- You can substitute pork with ground chicken or turkey for a leaner option.
- Make sure the rice is well drained to prevent sogginess.
- Freeze uncooked pearl balls on a tray, then store in a freezer bag for later use. Steam directly from frozen, adding a few extra minutes to cooking time.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes (plus soaking time)
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Steaming
- Cuisine: Chinese
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4–5 pearl balls
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 520mg
- Fat: 16g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 22g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 14g
- Cholesterol: 45mg
