Two Rice Pearl Balls
Ingredients:
55 MINUTES
25 minutes to make
30 minutes to steam


1/2 cup white glutinous rice

1/2 cup black glutinous rice (see note)

2 teaspoons salt

1 1/4 cups ground beef, about 10 ounces

6 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms, finely chopped, about 1 cup

6 shallots or 1 small onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

2 inches fresh ginger, peeled and grated

1 egg, beaten

1/4 cup mushroom soy sauce or oyster sauce

Plum sauce, recipe follows, optional
Instructions:
Put the white and black rice in two separate saucepans, add 1/2 cup water and 1 teaspoon salt to each and bring to a boil.

Drain immediately and rinse well.

Put beef in a bowl, add mushrooms, shallots or onion, garlic, ginger, beaten egg and soy or oyster sauce and mix well.

Make 32 balls of mixture, about 1 tablespoon each, rolling with wet hands.

Mix the black and white rice together, then roll the meatballs in the rice so they are well coated.

Line a steamer with parchment paper and arrange the pearl balls about 1 inch apart.

Steam for 30 minutes or until the rice is cooked.

Serve alone or with plum sauce.

Makes 32.

Note: If black rice is unavailable, use the equivalent amount of white rice.

Per serving (without Plum Sauce): 44 calories; 1 g fat (0.5 g saturated fat; 20 percent calories from fat); 5 g carbohydrates; 12 mg cholesterol; 80 mg sodium; 2 g protein; 0.2 g fiber.