• 8.8 oz ground pork (250g) Fresh or frozen mince work. Just thaw the frozen meat in the fridge overnight first. Ideally with 20% fat for the best texture.
• 10 water chestnut minced. This gives the meatballs some crunch
• 2 dried shiitake mushrooms Soaked for 1-2 hours till soft, then remove the stem (which can be added to stews and soups along with the mushroom soaking water.) Mince the cap of the mushroom for the meatballs. OK to omit if you don't have these (I don't always include them.)
• 1 onion peeled and minced

Seasoning

• 1 Tablespoon Shaoxing wine Or dry sherry or 1 of these rice wine substitutes
• 1 Tablespoon soy sauce light
• ½ Tablespoon cornstarch Substitute: all purpose flour (Yes, I have tested making them with both types of flour!) (Corn starch is also known as corn flour in Asia but in the US, they're 2 different things.)
• ½ teaspoon white sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt Or to taste (To test the seasoning, pinch a small part of the seasoned, mince, fry till cooked, taste and adjust.) I also like to use dried shrimps, which add umami, as a substitute for the salt if I have them on hand. (Don't add the shrimps and salt simultaneously as the meatballs may be too salty because dried shrimp already contain salt.)
• 1 pinch white pepper optional