FCA CENTRAL FLORIDA

PORK BALLS WITH MINTED PEANUT SAUCE

From:  Taste of Asia by Steven Wheeler

This recipe is equally delicious made with chicken breasts. Serves 4-6

To make the pork balls:

Ingredients
10 oz. leg of pork, trimmed and diced
1 piece fresh ginger, 1/2 in. long, peeled
 and grated
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 tsp sesame oil
1 tbsp medium-dry sherry
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp sugar
1 egg white
1/2 tsp salt
Pinch of white pepper
12 oz. long-grain rice, washed and
 cooked for 15 minutes
2 oz. ham, thickly sliced and diced
1 iceberg or bibb lettuce, to serve

Place the diced pork, ginger, and garlic in a food processor and blend
until smooth, about 2-3 minutes.  Add the sesame oil, sherry, soy
sauce, and sugar and blend. Add the egg whie. Spread the cooked rice
and ham on a shallow dish. Using wet hands, shape the pork mixture into
thumb-sized balls. Roll in the rice to cover and pierce each ball with a
bamboo skewer. Place the pork balls in a bamboo steamer, cover and steam
over a saucepan of boiling water for 9-10 minutes. Arrange all the lettuce
leaves on a large service plate. Place the pork balls on the leaves with the
dipping sauce on the side.

To make the minted peanut sauce:

Ingredients
2 tbsp smooth peanut butter
juice of 1 lime
1 red chili, seeded and finely chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tbsp freshly chopped mint
1 tbsp freshly chopped cilantro
1/3 cup unsweetened cream of coconut
1 tbsp fish sauce (optional)

Place the peanut butter in a bowl with the lime juice, chili, garlic, mint, and
cilantro. Mix thoroughly, then add the cream of cocnut and season with the
fish sauce, if using.