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Steamed Meatballs
5 from 21 votes

Steamed Meatballs

These Steamed Meatballs use ground beef combined with baking soda, kansui, and water to create a tender, spongy texture. The mixture is seasoned with fish sauce, garlic powder, chicken bouillon, and sugar for balanced savory and subtle sweetness. Incorporating dried mandarin peel, bean curd sheets, water chestnuts, cilantro, and green onion adds fresh aroma and crunch. The meatballs are steamed until cooked through, preserving moisture and yielding a soft interior suitable for dim sum or light meals.

Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
35 mins
Total Time
55 mins
Servings: 12
Calories: 96 kcal
Course: Side Dish, Main Course, Breakfast, Snacks
Cuisine: Asian, Chinese

Ingredients

  • 1 pound ground beef ( You can use 85%, 90 % or 93% lean)
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ cup water (Cold)
  • 1 teaspoon kansui
  • 1 small piece Dried mandarin peel (2x2 inches, 1 g)
  • 1 piece Bean curd sheet (10x 12 inches, 1 oz)
  • ½ cup water chestnut 3 oz
  • ¼ bunch cilantro (1 oz)
  • 4 ticks green onion (1 oz)
Seasoning:
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon fish sauce
  • 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder
  • 3.5 teaspoons sugar
  • 4 tablespoons tapioca starch
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • ¼ teaspoon white pepper
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Pour ¼ cup of water into a small container, put a small piece of dried mandarin peel (2 x 2 inches, around 1 g). Soak it for 15-30 minutes. 
  2. Cut a piece of bean curd sheet (10 x 12 inches, 1 oz) into 4 smaller squares. Then, pour water into the bowl and soak it for 30 minutes to 1 hour. 
  3. Wash and cut ¼ bunch of cilantro (1 oz) into pieces. 
  4. Then, wash and cut 4 sticks of green onions (1 oz) into pieces. 
  5. Roughly chop ½ cup of water chestnuts (3 oz) into pieces. 
  6. After soaking the dried mandarin peel from step 1. Cut and mince it into pieces.
  7. Put 1 pound of ground beef into the food processor. Then, add ½ cup of cold water, ¼ teaspoon of baking soda and 1 teaspoon of kansui. Let it run for 1-2 minutes. (*It is best to freeze the ground beef for 1-2 hours before using it.) 
  8. After that, open the food processor lid, add 1 teaspoon of garlic powder, 1 teaspoon of fish sauce, 1 teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of chicken bouillon powder, 3.5 teaspoon of sugar, ¼ of white pepper, 1 tablespoon of sesame oil, 4 tablespoons of tapioca starch and minced dried mandarin peel from step 6. Scrap the meat on the side of the food processor. Cover the lid and let it run 1-2 minutes. To mix it well and paste-like texture. 
  9. Put the meat into a bowl and cover with a plastic wrap. (*The best result is to refrigerate it overnight, so it can let the meat be more tender and have more flavor.) 
  10. Next, put the chopped water chestnuts from step 5 into the meat.
  11. Then, add the cut cilantro from step 3, cut green onion from step 4 and mix it well. 
  12. Place the soaked bean curd sheet from step 2 on the plate. 
  13. Dip some water on your hands, scoop some meat mixture and shape it into a ball. This can prevent meat sticking on the hands.
  14. Put the meatballs on the bean curd sheet from step 12. (*Dim sum items usually put 3-4, I did 3 for this). 
  15. Then, put it into the bamboo steamer basket and cover the lid.
  16. Pour 4 cups of water into the wok, place a rack. Turn on the fire medium high. When the water is boiling, put the bamboo steamer into the wok and steam it for 8-12 minutes. 
  17. Lastly, you can pour some worcestershire sauce or dip with soy sauce, chili oil, XO sauce and garlic chili sauce. 

Notes

  • Ground beef with varying fat content can be used depending on preferred texture; higher fat yields softer meatballs.
  • Freezing beef for 1-2 hours before processing helps create a firmer, gel-like texture after food processing.
  • Soaking dried mandarin peel and bean curd sheets prior to use softens them for better integration.
  • Using a powerful food processor allows thorough blending for a smooth meat mixture.
  • Dipping hands in water while shaping prevents the meat from sticking and aids in forming uniform balls.
  • Steam meatballs for 8-12 minutes once the water is boiling to ensure proper cooking.
  • Chopped water chestnuts add texture; fresh are better but canned can be used as a substitute.
  • Refrigerating the shaped meatballs overnight before steaming produces a more tender result.

Nutrition Information

Calories 96kcal (5%) Protein 6g (12%) Fat 8g (12%) Saturated Fat 3g (15%) Polyunsaturated Fat 0.2g (1%) Monounsaturated Fat 3g (15%) Trans Fat 0.5g (25%) Cholesterol 27mg (9%) Sodium 25mg (1%) Potassium 102mg (2%) Calcium 7mg (1%) Iron 1mg (6%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 12 Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 96

% Daily Value*

Calories 96kcal 5%
Protein 6g 12%
Fat 8g 12%
Saturated Fat 3g 15%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.2g 1%
Monounsaturated Fat 3g 15%
Trans Fat 0.5g 25%
Cholesterol 27mg 9%
Sodium 25mg 1%
Potassium 102mg 2%
Calcium 7mg 1%
Iron 1mg 6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.