Steamed beef balls in pearl cases
These spicy meatballs of beef and pork are also incredibly easy to make, and a great way of getting kids into cooking! Just make sure they wash their hands after handling the meat, while explaining food safety.
Above all, they are a delicious side-dish along with other Chinese recipes. Give them a try!
Table of Contents
Introduction
Starter or main course
This is a variation on a Hunan recipe - the original dish is not spicy hot, but I have added chili flakes, as well as five spice powder to this one. If you don't like it hot, then you can leave out the chili. It is still a tasty treat that you can serve as a starter before a main course. Or you can serve this along with several other Chinese dishes as a banquet.
I have accompanied the steamed meatballs with a stir fry of spinach and broccoli with finely chopped red onion, garlic and ginger in oyster sauce.
Ingredients
225g (8oz) finely minced beef
4 rashers streaky bacon, chopped
1 scallion (spring onion), finely chopped
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp sugar
0.5 tsp salt
1 tsp Chinese five spice powder (optional)
1 tsp dried chili flakes (optional)
100g (4oz) rice (uncooked) - washed several times until the water is no longer cloudy
Rolling the meatballs
Fun for the kids to help with
If you've got your kids helping you with this recipe, grown-ups do all the chopping and mincing beforehand.
Wash hands!
In a big bowl, mix the beef, bacon, scallion, sesame oil, sugar, salt, five spice powder and chili flakes. Get your hands in and give it all a good mix.
Then take some of the mixture out and roll it in your palms into a ping-pong sized ball. Repeat until you have used up all the mixture.
Coating with rice
Kids, wash hands after touching raw meat!
Kids, remember: no touching your mouth or tasting until it's all cooked! Okay? Okay!
Next, you need your washed raw rice in a bowl. Put in one of the meatballs and roll it around in the rice to coat it. Try not to be too rough or your meatball might fall apart!
You may find you need to gently press the rice into the surface of the meatballs. Do this for all the meatballs. And then they're ready to be cooked!
Kids! Well done! Your job is done except for one very important thing. That's right. Wash those hands again. Then you can have a rest.
Steamed meatballs in pearl cases
Fun to make and delicious!
Finally steam for 30 minutes in either a wok with a bamboo steamer and lid, or an electric steamer. Remember that the inside of the meatballs may still look a little pink - this is because there is bacon in the recipe, not because it is raw. Just ensure the meatballs are no bigger than ping-pong balls and you'll be fine! (If you want to make bigger ones, feel free, but remember they'll take longer to cook.)
And here is the final result, served with stir-fried spinach and broccoli in oyster sauce.
Loads of other Chinese recipes
From ornamental to crock pots
Yan Kit's Classic Chinese Cookbook
Amazon Price: $21.32 (as of 07/05/2009) 
Ken Hom's Hot Wok: Over 150 One-Pan Wonders
Amazon Price: (as of 07/05/2009)
Incredibly Easy Chinese
Amazon Price: $14.98 (as of 07/05/2009)
The Everything Chinese Cookbook: From Wonton Soup to Sweet and Sour Chicken-300 Succulent Recipes from the Far East (Everything Series)
Amazon Price: $10.85 (as of 07/05/2009)
Quick & Easy Dim Sum Appetizers and Light Meals
Amazon Price: $10.36 (as of 07/05/2009)
Steamers
Wok steamers and electric
Joyce Chen 12-Inch Bamboo Steamer
Amazon Price: $28.95 (as of 07/05/2009)
Aluminum Steamer Rack (fits 14 inch wok) - Sold by: The Wok Shop
Amazon Price: $9.95 (as of 07/05/2009)
Helen Chen's Asian Kitchen Flat Bottom Carbon Steel 14-Inch Lidded Wok Set
Amazon Price: $35.99 (as of 07/05/2009)
Black & Decker Food Steamer
Amazon Price: (as of 07/05/2009)
Dim sum, anyone?
Do you like Oriental cookery?
Do you get your kids involved with cooking?
Irenemaria wrote...
Here in Sweden we wet our hands and shape them round and nice. Some women can make them two by two at the same time.
See my lens about Swedish meatballs and other countries recipes!!
Posted October 28, 2008
Blog posts about Chinese cooking
