| Pearl meatballs | |
| Country: | China |
| Region: | Hubei, Hunan |
| Course: | Dim sum |
| Main Ingredient: | Ground pork, glutinous rice, vegetables, starch |
| T: | 珍珠丸子 |
| S: | 珍珠丸子 |
| L: | pearl ball |
| P: | zhēnzhū wánzi |
Pearl meatballs, also called pearl balls or glutinous rice balls, are traditional Chinese meatballs from Hubei and Hunan.[1] [2] They are usually made of ground pork and vegetables, then covered in glutinous rice and steamed.
Historically, pearl meatballs were eaten on festive occasions like birthdays or Chinese New Year, but is now served casually, such as in dim sum.[3] Pearl balls are a part of Mianyang Sanzheng ("The Three Steamed Dishes of Mianyang"), a famous dish in Hubei cuisine.
Pearl meatballs are made with ground pork, mixed with sesame oil, Shaoxing wine, pepper, diced vegetables, and starch or egg white for thickening. The most commonly used vegetables include ginger, water chestnut, scallions, bamboo shoots, mushrooms, and lotus root.
The meat mixture is formed into balls, then rolled and coated in glutinous rice, which is soaked beforehand but not cooked. The balls are then steamed and served in bamboo steamers.