I have loved this recipe from Chinese Cooking, Time-Life series. But I don't have a lot of choice in exotic ingredient choice, I will give you my variation of tonight's Chinese Pearl Balls first, and the original recipe second. And because I have given my self the responibility of having to answer other people, I will come back and give a new review. The original recipe if done exactly is wonderful, if you're into Oriental/Asin cuisine. I did go to town, and buy a fresh piece of ginger, but my house has ate it, as it's nowhere to be found, and I know the fresh ginger is the reason I am addicted to this recipe;
1 1/2 cup brown or white rice soaked in 3-4 water over night
(interesting note here. In China you can get freshly harvested rice, and that is why I use this combination of rice to water, because I don't have access to fleshly harvestd rice. So if you are buying storebought dry rice, you need more water and rice for 1 pound meat. I would think if I could get my hands on some wild rice from Canada, this would be to die for.)
1 pound of trimmed bone in center cut pork chop-
deboned.
1 large clove garlic
1/3 cup coarse chop onion of any kind
1/2 cup sesame seeds
1/2 cup frozen chopped dates
2 T soy sauce
2 T oyster sauce
1 1/2 t ground ginger
Whirl all ingredients in food processor, and foller original recipe's instructions.
Chinese Pearl Balls
1 1/4 cup glutinous rice,
4 dried Chinese mushrooms,1 to 1 1/2 inch in diameter, (I have to use regular mushrooms, 4 big ones)
1 to 1 1/4 pound bonelss pork, finely ground,
1 large egg, or 2 medium, lightly beaten
1 T soy sauce (I use Tiger Sauce if I have it)
1 1/2 t salt,
1 t sugar,
1 t finely chopped, peeled fresh ginger root,
7 canned water chestnuts, drained and finely chopped
1 clove garlic finely chopped
1 scallion, including green top, finely chopped.(I use at least 1/3 cup onion, whatever is available)
Prepare Ahead:
1. In small bowl, cover the rice with 1 cup cold water and soak for 2 hours. Then drain the rice through a sieve, and spread it out on a cloth towel to dry
2. In a small bowl, cover the mushrooms with 1/2 cup of warm water, and let them soak 30 minutes. Discard the water. With a cleaver or knife, cut away and discard the mushroom stems,
and chop caps fine.
3. Combine the pork, egg, soy sauce, salt, and sugar in a mixing bowl. With your fingers, or large spoon, mix together until the ingredients are thoroughly blended. Then add the ginger, chopped mushrooms,
water chesnuts, and scallions. and mix thoroughly again. (I have on hand rubber gloves and never get ground up messy stuff under my fingernails.
Scoop up about 2 T of the mixture and, with your hands, shape it into a ball 1 inch in diameter. Repeat this process with the remaining pork mixture,
moistening your hands from time to time with a little cold water. Arrange the balls side by side on a strip of wax paper. 4. Roll one pork ball at a time int he rice, pressing down gently but firmly as you roll so
the the rice grains adhere to the meat. Set the rice-coated balls back on the wax paper. To Cook: Pour enough boiling water into the lower part of a steamer to come within an inch of the cooking rack.
(or use a steamer substitute, as described on page 8, I use a wok, with the rack on the bottom ledge of the wok, that it came with) Choose a heat-proof plate about 1/2 inch smaller in diameter that the pot so
that the steam can rise and circulate around the pork balls as they steam. Arrange the pork balls on it. Place the plate on the rack, bring the water to a boil, and cover the pan tightly. Keeping the water at a
continuous boil and replenishing it if it boils away, steam the pork balls for 30 minutes. Set the steaming plate on a large platter and serve at once.
As a main course, this recipe will serve 4. As part of a
Chinese meal, (page 120) it will serve 6-8Page 8: A plate is set, two inches above water, on two, small, heat-proof dishes, set right side up in a large, tightly covered roasting pan. There must be enough
space around the edge of the plate to allow the steam to rise and circulate freely. Page 120: Chinese meals are a special problem, because the categories are different. In the first place, a Chines meal is
rather like a buffet, at which a guest eats little bits of this and that, rather than a large portion of just one food. Chinese dishes are not served in individual protions, but are on platters shared by all those who
site at the table. Everyone can-indeed he is expected to-eat from all the dishes presented. A properly planned dinner includes at least one foul, one fish, and one meat dish-and these are complemented
with appropriate vegetable. The Chinese set off spicy dishes with bland ones, delicate flavors with robust; and soft-textured foods are complimented by something crisp. Concerned as they are with the
appearance of food, the Chinese try to include both pale and rich colored dishes, and make a point of serving some bright-green vegetables for contrast. While the Chinese serve many dishes at a meal,
they do not-except at elaborate banquet-style dinners-present a menu in course. Cold foods, meant to be nibbled like hors d-oeuvre, are sometimes placed on the table before the guests are seated.
Otherwise, all the dishes are brought to the table at one time and and eaten together. Hot tidbits like shrimp toast are classic banquet fare, and brought to the table.
1 1/2 cup brown or white rice soaked in 3-4 water over night
(interesting note here. In China you can get freshly harvested rice, and that is why I use this combination of rice to water, because I don't have access to fleshly harvestd rice. So if you are buying storebought dry rice, you need more water and rice for 1 pound meat. I would think if I could get my hands on some wild rice from Canada, this would be to die for.)
1 pound of trimmed bone in center cut pork chop-
deboned.
1 large clove garlic
1/3 cup coarse chop onion of any kind
1/2 cup sesame seeds
1/2 cup frozen chopped dates
2 T soy sauce
2 T oyster sauce
1 1/2 t ground ginger
Whirl all ingredients in food processor, and foller original recipe's instructions.
Chinese Pearl Balls
1 1/4 cup glutinous rice,
4 dried Chinese mushrooms,1 to 1 1/2 inch in diameter, (I have to use regular mushrooms, 4 big ones)
1 to 1 1/4 pound bonelss pork, finely ground,
1 large egg, or 2 medium, lightly beaten
1 T soy sauce (I use Tiger Sauce if I have it)
1 1/2 t salt,
1 t sugar,
1 t finely chopped, peeled fresh ginger root,
7 canned water chestnuts, drained and finely chopped
1 clove garlic finely chopped
1 scallion, including green top, finely chopped.(I use at least 1/3 cup onion, whatever is available)
Prepare Ahead:
1. In small bowl, cover the rice with 1 cup cold water and soak for 2 hours. Then drain the rice through a sieve, and spread it out on a cloth towel to dry
2. In a small bowl, cover the mushrooms with 1/2 cup of warm water, and let them soak 30 minutes. Discard the water. With a cleaver or knife, cut away and discard the mushroom stems,
and chop caps fine.
3. Combine the pork, egg, soy sauce, salt, and sugar in a mixing bowl. With your fingers, or large spoon, mix together until the ingredients are thoroughly blended. Then add the ginger, chopped mushrooms,
water chesnuts, and scallions. and mix thoroughly again. (I have on hand rubber gloves and never get ground up messy stuff under my fingernails.
Scoop up about 2 T of the mixture and, with your hands, shape it into a ball 1 inch in diameter. Repeat this process with the remaining pork mixture,
moistening your hands from time to time with a little cold water. Arrange the balls side by side on a strip of wax paper. 4. Roll one pork ball at a time int he rice, pressing down gently but firmly as you roll so
the the rice grains adhere to the meat. Set the rice-coated balls back on the wax paper. To Cook: Pour enough boiling water into the lower part of a steamer to come within an inch of the cooking rack.
(or use a steamer substitute, as described on page 8, I use a wok, with the rack on the bottom ledge of the wok, that it came with) Choose a heat-proof plate about 1/2 inch smaller in diameter that the pot so
that the steam can rise and circulate around the pork balls as they steam. Arrange the pork balls on it. Place the plate on the rack, bring the water to a boil, and cover the pan tightly. Keeping the water at a
continuous boil and replenishing it if it boils away, steam the pork balls for 30 minutes. Set the steaming plate on a large platter and serve at once.
As a main course, this recipe will serve 4. As part of a
Chinese meal, (page 120) it will serve 6-8Page 8: A plate is set, two inches above water, on two, small, heat-proof dishes, set right side up in a large, tightly covered roasting pan. There must be enough
space around the edge of the plate to allow the steam to rise and circulate freely. Page 120: Chinese meals are a special problem, because the categories are different. In the first place, a Chines meal is
rather like a buffet, at which a guest eats little bits of this and that, rather than a large portion of just one food. Chinese dishes are not served in individual protions, but are on platters shared by all those who
site at the table. Everyone can-indeed he is expected to-eat from all the dishes presented. A properly planned dinner includes at least one foul, one fish, and one meat dish-and these are complemented
with appropriate vegetable. The Chinese set off spicy dishes with bland ones, delicate flavors with robust; and soft-textured foods are complimented by something crisp. Concerned as they are with the
appearance of food, the Chinese try to include both pale and rich colored dishes, and make a point of serving some bright-green vegetables for contrast. While the Chinese serve many dishes at a meal,
they do not-except at elaborate banquet-style dinners-present a menu in course. Cold foods, meant to be nibbled like hors d-oeuvre, are sometimes placed on the table before the guests are seated.
Otherwise, all the dishes are brought to the table at one time and and eaten together. Hot tidbits like shrimp toast are classic banquet fare, and brought to the table.