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Steamed beef balls (ngau yuk kau)
山竹牛肉球 ngau yuk kau: Cantonese dim sum beef balls with tangerine peel on beancurd skin
These bouncy beef balls are a fixture of the morning dim sum in Guangzhou and Hong Kong, steamed in small bamboo baskets on a square of beancurd skin that soaks up the juices, and dipped in Worcestershire sauce, a Hong Kong habit. Dried tangerine peel and coriander give them their clean, fragrant taste, and beating the mince hard with a little bicarbonate of soda gives the springy texture. The mistake is mixing gently, like a burger; the meat has to be slapped and stirred until sticky. Steam until the centre reaches 71 °C. Chef's tip: chill the mixture for an hour before shaping; cold mince is far easier to roll and holds its spring.
- Total time
- 45 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the beef balls
- 14 oz minced beefabout 15% fat
- ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda
- ¼ cup iced water
- 1 piece dried tangerine peelabout 5 cm, soaked for 20 minutes and finely chopped
- 4 water chestnutsfinely chopped
- ½ oz fresh corianderfinely chopped
- 1 spring onionfinely chopped
- 1 ½ tbsp cornflour
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tsp sugar
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp ground white pepper
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
To steam and serve
- 2 dried beancurd skin sheetssoaked until soft and cut into squares; or lettuce leaves
- 3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce (optional)
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Dissolve ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda in ¼ cup iced water. Put 14 oz minced beef in a bowl with 1 tbsp light soy sauce, 1 tsp sugar, ½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp ground white pepper, and stir in one direction with chopsticks, adding the water a little at a time, until it is all absorbed.
Step 2: Keep stirring hard, then lift and slap the mince against the bowl 20–30 times, until it turns pale, sticky and stretchy.
5 minStep 3: Mix in 1 ½ tbsp cornflour, 1 piece dried tangerine peel, 4 water chestnuts, ½ oz fresh coriander, 1 spring onion and 1 tsp toasted sesame oil. Cover and chill for 1 hour.
Step 4: Line small steamer baskets or a plate with 2 dried beancurd skin sheets. With wet hands, roll the mince into 12 balls the size of a walnut and set them on the skin, a little apart.
Step 5: Steam over a high heat for 10–12 minutes, until firm, springy and cooked through to 160°F in the centre; the juices should run clear.
12 minStep 6: Serve straight from the steamer with 3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce for dipping.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 250 kcal
- Protein
- 24 g
- Carbs
- 9 g
- Fat
- 13 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does steamed beef balls (ngau yuk kau) take?
- About 45 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- What can I use instead of bicarbonate of soda?
- Baking powder, three times the amount (the bake may taste slightly different).
- What can I use instead of fresh coriander?
- Flat-leaf parsley with a little mint (for people who dislike coriander too).
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