Pressure Cooker Chinese Beef Rice Baby Meatballs

 Pressure Cooker Chinese Beef Rice Baby Meatballs-You will also find this same recipe under Asian foods. Because it is so much superior to ordinary Porcupine Meat Balls, I list it there as well.

I lb chopped ground chuck

4 shallots, minced

 1 tsp. finely minced fresh ginger root (or 1 tsp. ground ginger if fresh is not available)

 2 whole eggs, slightly beaten

 1/4 cup water chestnuts, finely minced

2 tsp. sugar

2 Tbsp. (about) dry sherry

1 cup standard rice, soaked for 30 minutes in warm water

3/4 cup dry white wine

3 Tbsp. vinegar

 2 to 3 drops Tabasco

1 clove garlic, crushed and minced

 2 tsp light soy sauce

1 tsp. sesame oil

Instructions:

          If you know Chinese food and have a Chinese grocery in your neighbourhood, you can prepare this recipe in the Chinese way with "glutinous sticky rice" and fresh ginger root. This type of rice will need only 20 minutes of soaking and 20 minutes less cooking time at 15 lbs. It is important to set the rice covered balls in the pressure cooker at least 1/4 inch apart, to allow for the expansion of the rice.

Use a 6-quart or smaller pressure cooker and if necessary, cook the meatballs in batches. In a mixing bowl, lightly but thoroughly work together the beef, green onion, ginger, eggs, water chestnuts, and 1 tsp. of the sugar. Now dribble over and blend in the dark soy sauce and up to 2 Tbsp. of the sherry. You should have a mixture that remains just firm enough for the balls to hold together. Dip your hands in warm water and shape the mixture into small balls, about the size of cherry tomatoes. Spread the cup of rice out evenly on a tray and roll each ball into the rice until it is fully covered. Put the base rack in your pressure cooker; pour in the wine and arrange the balls about 1/4 inches apart. Put on the lid, bring up the pressure to 15 lbs. and cook for exactly 6 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the SWEET-SOUR sauce. In a mixing bowl, blend together the vinegar, Tabasco, garlic, light soy sauce, sesame seed oil, the remaining Tbsp. of sherry and the final tsp. of sugar. Taste and adjust the flavour by adding a tiny bit more of any or all of the ingredients. Reserve the sauce until the balls are ready. When the timer rings, turn off the heat, reduce pressure immediately, take out the balls and dribble the sauce over them, then serve at once, hot. Yield 4 servings.