How to Make Hubei Sticky Rice Pearl Meatballs (珍珠丸子)

sticky rice

🥗Healthier: quinoa

💰Cheaper: white rice

Quinoa is a healthier grain option while white rice is more budget-friendly.

ground pork

🥗Healthier: ground turkey

💰Cheaper: ground chicken

Ground turkey is leaner and healthier, while ground chicken is often less expensive.

water chestnuts

🥗Healthier: jicama

💰Cheaper: canned water chestnuts

Jicama is a fresh alternative, while canned options are cheaper.

bamboo leaves

💰Cheaper: banana leaves

Banana leaves can be used as a substitute in steaming.

Introduce the dish, Hubei Sticky Rice Pearl Meatballs, and mention the use of pork leg cut (70% lean, 30% fat).

Cut the lean pork into cubes for mincing and dice the fat into decent size chunks, setting it aside.

Peel and dice ginger, then add it to the lean pork for mincing.

Minced pork and ginger should be finely chopped using knives, taking about 10-15 minutes to achieve a fine mince.

In a bowl, combine the minced pork and diced fat, adding a slurry of cornstarch and water, soy sauce (4 teaspoons), sesame oil, white pepper, sugar, and an egg. Mix thoroughly.

Add diced lotus root (or water chestnuts), diced dried mushrooms, and the white part of the green onions to the meat mixture and mix evenly.

Prepare a bamboo steamer with bamboo leaves or reed leaves as the base.

After marinating the meat mixture for about 20 minutes, add salt and mix evenly.

Shape the meat mixture into meatballs slightly larger than one tablespoon and roll them in soaked sticky rice, ensuring not to overpack the rice.

Place the meatballs in the bamboo steamer and steam for about 5-6 minutes, or 10 minutes if using a different setup. Use a thermometer to check doneness if necessary.

Garnish with green onion before serving.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens