Zimao meatballs are made from pork and glutinous rice, symbolizing reunion, happiness, and fulfillment. When I was little, my grandmother and mother made them for me; now that I'm a mother myself, I make them for my daughters. This dish is also a unique memory of various banquets during local festivals and holidays.
Materials
Hangzhou Home-Style Dish - Steps for Making Zimao Meatballs
Soak scallions, ginger, and salt in water. Soak glutinous rice in water. Prepare minced meat and scallions. (Red and yellow bell peppers can be added if available.) (Soaking the glutinous rice for a few hours will make the finished product softer and stickier. You can also cook it directly without soaking, but the texture will be firmer.)
Add half of the glutinous rice to the minced meat, along with scallions, ginger, and salt water, and mix well
Roll the dough into a round ball, then roll it in the remaining half of the glutinous rice to coat it with a layer of glutinous rice.
It's ready to be steamed for 30 minutes.
Garnish with scallions (or red and yellow bell peppers) after cooking.
If you can't finish it all at once, you can freeze it and steam it again when you want to eat it; it will be even softer and tastier.
