{"id":9259,"date":"2025-09-24T09:27:26","date_gmt":"2025-09-24T13:27:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/omnivorescookbook.com\/?p=9259"},"modified":"2025-09-24T09:27:27","modified_gmt":"2025-09-24T13:27:27","slug":"pearl-balls","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/omnivorescookbook.com\/pearl-balls\/","title":{"rendered":"Chinese Pearl Balls (\u73cd\u73e0\u4e38\u5b50)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Chinese pearl balls is a dish I\u2019ve enjoyed since childhood, featuring tender flavorful juicy pork meatballs coated with tender sticky rice. They are fun to make, freezer-friendly, and look impressive, making them perfect for Sunday dinner and Chinese New Year. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Some of my favorite childhood memories revolve around Chinese homestyle dishes you might not find in a restaurant. My grandma was a great cook. Her lion\u2019s head meatballs<\/a>, braised pork feet<\/a>, and lamb dumplings<\/a> make a great feast. One of her masterpieces was pearl balls (\u73cd\u73e0\u4e38\u5b50), or Zhen Zhu Wan Zi. The pork meatballs are coated in glutinous rice and steamed until the rice becomes translucent. They are tender and juicy, rich in flavor, comforting in texture, and always worth the careful work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Are Pearl Balls?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Pearl balls are a classic Chinese dish consisting of seasoned pork meatballs coated in soaked sticky rice, then steamed. The rice grains cling to the meat, absorbing the juices and giving the balls a \u201cpearl-like\u201d appearance, hence the name. They are sometimes called \u201csnow meatballs\u201d because of the way the rice looks after steaming.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While often served as a main dish at family meals and during Chinese New Year, every bite brings together savory pork, fragrant dried shrimp, aromatic ginger and scallion, and a subtle sweetness from the rice and seasonings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ingredients<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Ingredients<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Glutinous rice<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Glutinous rice is also called sticky rice, sweet rice, and mochi rice. Once cooked, it becomes very tender and has a sticky texture. You can find glutinous rice at Asian markets, and even at some regular supermarkets. In this recipe, I used Thai glutinous rice, which is a long grain type. But Japanese short grain glutinous rice also works. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chinese dried shrimp<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Chinese dried shrimp (\u6d77\u7c73) are an optional ingredient in this recipe but I highly recommend it if you can get your hands on some. These dried shrimp are umami bombs and a small amount of them adds great depth of flavor to the dish. Compared to fresh shrimp, they are saltier and have a concentrated taste of the sea. You can usually find them in Chinese markets. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the other hand, you can also consider swapping out 4 ounces (115 g) of pork and replacing it with chopped fresh shrimp. That will add a lot of great flavor to the meatballs as well.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Cornstarch & panko breadcrumbs<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Cornstarch helps bind the meat and keeps the texture of the meatballs tender. Panko breadcrumbs are another binder that gives the meatballs structure. If you find the meatballs hard to shape and too soft, you can add a little more panko breadcrumbs to help with the shaping. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Seasonings<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Chinese pearl balls use a lot of seasonings and spices. Soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, ginger, scallion, white pepper, nutmeg and sesame oil build layers of flavor. The meatballs are designed to be enjoyed by themselves without a dipping sauce. The right amount of seasoning will bring out the flavor of the pork without overwhelming it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to make<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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  1. Soak ahead: <\/strong>Soak the glutinous rice and dried shrimp in separate bowls, covered with water, in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, up to overnight. This softens both and brings out more aroma. The long soak is crucial to make the glutinous rice tender after cooking. Once soaked, drain the glutinous rice thoroughly.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
    \"Sticky<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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    1. To prepare the meatball mixture:<\/strong> beat all the seasonings together until the meat is sticky. This step is very important to make sure the liquid is fully absorbed, and the pork has structure. If not beaten long enough, the meatballs will be soft and hard to shape. <\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
      \"Mixing<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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      1. Then you can blend in the cornstarch and breadcrumbs. The mixture will become stiffer and easier to shape. If you notice the mixture is still too runny to shape, you can use more breadcrumbs at this stage.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
        \"Mixing<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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        1. To prepare the steamer: <\/strong>I prefer to line my steamer with parchment paper. To prepare the parchment, cut the paper into a large circle that will fit into your steamer. Fold it a few times, then cut small holes in it. This allows the steam to come through and cook the meatballs. Alternatively, you can use a few layers of wet cheesecloth as the liner. Another great way is to use vegetables like a dim sum restaurant would – slice carrots thin, and place one slice under each meatball. <\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
          \"How<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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          1. To shape the meatballs: <\/strong>I prefer to use a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop to portion out the pork and directly add it to the plate of glutinous rice. Roll the meatballs in the rice to coat well. Then gently press the rice so it sticks. <\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
            \"How<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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            1. Place the assembled pearl balls onto the lined steamer, making sure there\u2019s some space in between. The meatballs will expand as they cook. <\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
              \"Shaped<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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              1. To cook: <\/strong>The quickest way is to set up double bamboo steamers (12″)<\/a> over a wok, so you can cook all the meatballs in one batch. If you use a steamer pot<\/a>, you will need to cook them in two batches. I usually like to cook one batch while assembling the rest of the meatballs. <\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
                \"Cooking<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

                Once cooked, the meatballs are juicy and tender. The glutinous rice will have soaked up the juice from the pork and become semi-transparent. The rice will have a mild sweet taste that works so well with the savory pork. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                \"Cooked<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

                Serve and store<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                Serve the meatballs as a main dish, with or without rice. In my family, no sauce is needed because the meatballs are flavorful enough. But if you like, a simple dipping sauce (soy + vinegar + sesame oil) or a squeeze of hot sauce works well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to four days or frozen for a few months. These meatballs are great for meal prep because they freeze so well. Thaw them in the fridge overnight before reheating. Reheat by steaming to maintain moisture. Microwaving works too, if you add a drop of water and cover the meatballs with a wet paper towel. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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                Frequently asked questions<\/h2>\n\n\n\t\t
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                Can I use regular rice?<\/h3>\t\t\t\t
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                Glutinous rice (also called sticky rice or sweet rice) is required to make authentic tasting pearl balls. Regular white rice won\u2019t cling properly and won\u2019t give the chewy, pearly texture that defines the dish.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\n\n\t\t

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                Why is my rice too hard after steaming?<\/h3>\t\t\t\t
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                That usually means the rice wasn\u2019t soaked long enough. You should soak it for at least 4 hours. Also check your steamer setup. Make sure you have a liner (see the blog post for more info) that lets the steam come through properly.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\n\n\t\t

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                Can I substitute other meats for the pork?<\/h3>\t\t\t\t
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                I don\u2019t recommend it, but you can if you want. Pork works the best for pearl balls because it is quite fatty, which creates a juicy and tender texture. Its flavor is also relatively mild, which pairs well with the slightly sweet glutinous rice. While ground chicken is even milder, the meat is a little too lean, which results in tougher meatballs. The sticky rice also won\u2019t get enough fat from the meat, resulting in a slightly drier texture. While ground beef is fattier (make sure you use the 80% lean or a fattier mix), the flavor is quite strong and will change the flavor profile of the dish.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\n\n\n

                More homestyle dishes you might like<\/h2>\n\n\n\n