Vietnamese Beef Balls - (Thit Bo Vien) |
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Prep Time: 35 Minutes Cook Time: 5 Minutes |
Ready In: 40 Minutes Servings: 8 |
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These crunchy little beef balls are very popular among the Vietnamese. They are served mainly as appetizers or added to noodle soups. Chili sauce (tuong ot) is the usual accompaniment, but any hot red pepper sauce can be served alongside. Ingredients:
1/4 cup vietnamese fish sauce, plus (nuoc mam) |
1 tablespoon vietnamese fish sauce (nuoc mam) |
1 tablespoon potato starch, plus |
1 teaspoon potato starch |
1 teaspoon baking powder |
1 teaspoon sugar |
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground white pepper |
2 lbs trimmed boneless beef shank |
4 cloves garlic (crushed) |
1 teaspoon oriental sesame oil |
1/4 cup vegetable oil (for shaping meatballs) |
Directions:
1. In a shallow dish, mix the fish sauce, potato starch, baking powder, sugar and white pepper.
2. Slice the meat into 1/8-inch-thick pieces.
3. Add to the marinade and mix well.
4. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight.
5. Before proceeding, transfer the meat to the freezer for 30 minutes.
6. Work with half of the beef at a time; do not overload the work bowl.
7. In a food processor, combine half of the beef with half of the garlic and sesame oil.
8. Process to a completely smooth but stiff paste, about 3 minutes.
9. Stop occasionally to scrape down the sides of the work bowl.
10. The completed paste should spring back to the touch.
11. Transfer the paste to a bowl.
12. Process the remaining beef, garlic and sesame oil the same way.
13. Rub some vegetable oil on one hand, and grab a handful of the meat paste and close your hand into a fist, squeezing out a small portion of the mixture, about 1 teaspoon, between your thumb and index finger.
14. Keep rolling and squeezing the same portion between your thumb and index finger until you obtain a smooth rounded ball.
15. Scoop out the meatball with an oiled spoon, and repeat until all of the paste is used.
16. Pour 1 inch of water into a wok or wide pot, place a steamer rack or bamboo steamer over the water.
17. Arrange the meatballs without crowding in a single layer on the rack.
18. Cover and steam for 5 minutes.
19. Serve as an appetizer with chili sauce.
20. These beef balls can also be added to a well-seasoned beef broth, sprinkled with chopped scallions and white pepper and served as a soup (noodles may be added).
21. Note: These meatballs may be frozen.
22. Thaw them thoroughly, then steam or simmer in boiling water until just heated through.
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