Pearl Balls Recipe
- 2 tablespoons dried shrimp, finely chopped (optional)
- 1 cup Japanese sweet rice
- 1 pound ground pork
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped scallion
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
- 1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 egg
- Soak shrimp (if using) in just enough hot water to cover, until soft, about 30 minutes; drain. Place sweet rice in a bowl and cover with 3 cups water. Let stand about 30 minutes. Drain and set aside on a plate.
- Place pork in a large bowl and stir in 2 tablespoons of cold water. Add shrimp, scallion, ginger, soy sauce, salt, cornstarch, and egg and mix until well combined.
- Dampen hands with cold water and roll 1 tablespoon of the pork mixture in palms to form a 11/4 -inch-diameter ball. Roll the ball in the rice to completely cover with grains. Continue, using all the pork mixture.
- Fill a wok with 1 inch of water. Place a small heatproof bowl upside down in the center and then place a plate on top of the bowl, making a steaming rack. Cover the wok and bring the water to a boil. Place 12 to 14 pearl balls on the plate and steam, covered, until rice is cooked, about 20 minutes. Alternatively, fill a bamboo steamer with pearl balls and steam over the wok.
