Pearl Meatballs (Zhen Zhu Wan Zi)

珍珠丸子

Pearl Meatballs (Zhen Zhu Wan Zi) — Home-styleWuhan home cooking.

Ingredients

• ground pork (20% fat)
• glutinous rice
• ginger
• scallion
• light soy sauce
• white pepper

Instructions

1. Mix pork, ginger, scallion, light soy sauce, white pepper, and 1 tsp sesame oil. Chop mixture vigorously with knife 50 strokes — do not use food processor (texture turns pasty). (Mixture becomes glossy and sticky, pulling away from bowl sides.)
2. Roll meat mixture into 2.5 cm balls. Roll each ball in drained glutinous rice until fully coated — press gently so rice adheres firmly. (Each ball is completely opaque white, with no bare meat showing.)
3. Arrange rice-coated balls on oiled steamer rack, leaving 2 cm space between. Let rest 10 minutes so rice hydrates slightly. (Rice surface looks damp but not wet; no pooling water.)
4. Steam over high heat for 20 minutes. Turn off heat; let rest covered 5 minutes before serving — this prevents rice from cracking. (Rice turns translucent at edges; pearls glisten like dew.)
5. Serve hot, garnished with extra scallion greens. Optional: drizzle with 1 tsp light soy sauce and ½ tsp sesame oil. (Pearls stay intact, slightly springy to touch.)