Steamed Meatballs

Chinese steamed meatballs are classic and authentic Cantonese dim sum items. Wanna know how to make Chinese steamed meatballs like restaurant style? Let’s learn it with step by step photo instructions, a video and tips.

Course Breakfast, Main Course, Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine Asian, Chinese

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 35

Total Time 55

Servings

Calories 96kcal

Author Tracy O.

Equipment

1 Food processor ( Powerful one is better)
1 wok
1 Rack
1 bamboo steamer (Optional)

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 chestnuts (3 oz)
¼ bunch Cilantro (1 oz)
4 sticks 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

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.
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.
Wash and cut ¼ bunch of cilantro (1 oz) into pieces.
Then, wash and cut 4 sticks of green onions (1 oz) into pieces.
Roughly chop ½ cup of water chestnuts (3 oz) into pieces.
After soaking the dried mandarin peel from step 1. Cut and mince it into pieces.
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.)
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.
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.)
Next, put the chopped water chestnuts from step 5 into the meat.
Then, add the cut cilantro from step 3, cut green onion from step 4 and mix it well.
Place the soaked bean curd sheet from step 2 on the plate.
Dip some water on your hands, scoop some meat mixture and shape it into a ball. This can prevent meat sticking on the hands.
Put the meatballs on the bean curd sheet from step 12. (*Dim sum items usually put 3-4, I did 3 for this).
Then, put it into the bamboo steamer basket and cover the lid.
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.
Lastly, you can pour some worcestershire sauce or dip with soy sauce, chili oil, XO sauce and garlic chili sauce.

Video

Notes

Cooking tips for how to make Cantonese dim sum steamed meatballs:

Beef:

Use ground beef because it is easier. If you like its soft and spongy texture, you can use 85% lean and 15 % fat.
Or, if you like it healthier, you can use 90% or 93% lean beef. The picture in the recipe, I used 93% lean.
Freeze the ground beef for 1-2 hours before using it.
If you want to make it restaurant style, the best is to add kansui, baking soda and water into the beef and let it run for 1-2 minutes in the food processor. Then, add minced dried mandarin peel, seasonings and run for 1-2 minutes. Put the meat into a bowl and cover it with a plastic wrap and refrigerate it overnight. This allows the meat to be more tender and soft.

Tool:

The best to use a powerful food processor because it helps blend the meat well and gel-like in a short time.

Topping & Seasoning:

After that, add the chopped water chestnuts, cilantro, green onion and mix it well.
Fresh water chestnuts taste better. If you cannot find fresh ones, you can use canned water chestnuts.
Soak the dried mandarin peel 15-30 minutes before. Then, minced it.
You can use fresh or dried bean curd sheets. Soak them if you use the dried or frozen ones. Some dim sum restaurants like to deep fry the bean curd sheet then soak it.

Shaping meatballs:

When you work on the meat and shape it into a ball, dip some water on your hands. It prevents meat from sticking to the hands.
You can make 12 bigger meatballs or 15 smaller ones.

Steaming:

Steam them 8-12 minutes after water boils.

Nutrition