Pingnan Meatballs

Pingnan Meatballs

　　Meatballs are a sweet treat beloved by the people of Pingnan and a flavor that lingers in many childhood memories.

　　In fact, Pingnan meatballs contain no meat—they simply incorporate meat broth. The process of making them isn’t complicated: first, mix appropriate amounts of regular rice, glutinous rice, and japonica rice in a 2:1:1 ratio, then stir-fry them in a hot pan. Next, grind the fried rice into powder using a stone mill. Separately, stir-fry and crush an equal amount of sweet potato starch, then mix it with the rice flour and stir until well combined. Take an appropriate amount of meat broth (from pork or duck) and bring it to a boil in a pot, adding an appropriate amount of brown sugar. Once the sugar has melted, pour it into the rice flour mixture and stir until evenly blended. Then, you can scoop and shape the mixture into meatballs by hand.

　　There are various ways to shape the meatballs, and the process is simple—both adults and children can do it. You can shape them with one hand or both hands at the same time. The ideal shape is slightly olive-like. Since hand sizes vary, the resulting meatballs will naturally come in different sizes. Kids are usually eager to help make this delicious sweet treat. When adults are busy, the task of shaping meatballs often falls to the children. While making the snacks, the kids also get to enjoy a bit of “mud play.”

　　Because the ingredients used to make the meatballs are all cooked, the shaped meatballs can be eaten right away or lightly steamed in a steamer before serving. Thanks to the addition of sweet potato starch, the meatballs melt in your mouth, offering an excellent texture. (Jiang Liangre)

　　Source: People’s Government of Fujian Province