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Chinese Pork Balls

Source of Recipe

"The Essential New York Times Cookbook" by Amanda Hesser


Recipe Introduction

"These are more 'Chinese' pork balls than Chinese pork balls, but that doesn't mean they don't taste great."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ Three 5- to 6-ounce cans water chestnuts, drained, rinsed, and finely chopped
â—¦ 1 ½ cups finely chopped scallions
â—¦ 3 pounds lean ground pork
â—¦ 2 teaspoons salt
â—¦ 1 tablespoon soy sauce
â—¦ 4 large eggs, lightly beaten
â—¦ 1 ½ cups fine dry bread crumbs
â—¦ 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh ginger
â—¦ Cornstarch for dusting
â—¦ Oil for deep-frying

For the sauce:
â—¦ 1 ¾ cups unsweetened pineapple juice
â—¦ 1 ¼ cups cider vinegar
â—¦ ¼ cup soy sauce
â—¦ â…” cup sugar
â—¦ 1 ½ cups chicken broth
â—¦ 3 tablespoons finely chopped crystallized ginger
â—¦ ½ cup cornstarch
â—¦ 1 cup water


Recipe

Place the water chestnuts, scallions, pork, salt, soy sauce, and eggs in a large bowl. Mix with your hands. Add the bread crumbs and ginger, with your hands, mix well. Chill the mixture for 1 hour.

Shape the pork mixture into ¾- to 1-inch balls. Roll the balls in cornstarch.

Heat 2 inches of oil to 370 degrees in a large pot or deep skillet. Carefully drop the balls into the oil one at a time, a dozen at one cooking, provided the oil does not foam up dangerously near the top of the pot (the oil should not extend above the halfway mark). Fry the balls for about 1 to 2 minutes, or until they are golden brown and rise to the top of the oil. Break one open to make sure it is cooked through; there should be no pink color left. Drain on paper towels. Reheat the oil in between batches.

Meanwhile, to prepare the sauce, place the pineapple juice, vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, broth, and ginger in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Mix the cornstarch with the water and, using a wire whisk or a wooden spoon, stir into the boiling mixture. Cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Then reduce the heat to very low or place over hot water to keep hot while you continue frying the meatballs.

Place the pork balls in a chafing dish and stir in enough sauce to coat them. (The balls, without the sauce, can be refrigerated overnight, covered with aluminum foil. To serve, heat the pork balls, covered, in a preheated oven for about 20 to 25 minutes. Reheat the sauce while stirring.)

Makes about 12 ½ dozen pork balls;
Serves 20 to 25