ba-wan
Next Dish: Callaloo
Ba Wan is a Taiwanese snack often referred to as "Taiwanese meatball" due to its round shape. It consists of a translucent dough made from cornstarch, sweet potato starch, and rice flour, which is filled with a mixture of pork, bamboo shoots, and shiitake mushrooms. The dish is then steamed or boiled until it becomes gelatinous and served with a sweet and savory sauce. It is a popular street food in Taiwan, particularly in the Changhua and Taipei regions.
Recipe
Ingredients:
For the Dough:
1 cup sweet potato starch
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup wheat starch
2 cups water
For the Filling:
200 grams pork belly, diced
50 grams dried bamboo shoots
50 grams dried shiitake mushrooms
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon rice wine
1 teaspoon five spice powder
For the Sauce:
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 cup water
Instructions:
Soak the bamboo shoots and shiitake mushrooms in warm water for at least 30 minutes until soft. Then, dice them into small pieces.
In a pan, cook the diced pork belly until it's browned. Add the bamboo shoots and mushrooms, then add soy sauce, sugar, rice wine, and five spice powder. Cook for another 15 minutes until the flavors are well combined.
In a large bowl, combine sweet potato starch, cornstarch, and wheat starch. Gradually add water while stirring to avoid lumps. The mixture should be smooth and runny.
Scoop a small amount of the dough mixture into a mold or a small bowl, add a spoonful of the pork filling, then cover it with more dough. Repeat this process until all the dough and filling are used.
Steam the Ba Wan over high heat for about 25-30 minutes until they become translucent.
While the Ba Wan are steaming, prepare the sauce. Combine soy sauce, sugar, cornstarch, and water in a saucepan. Stir well and cook over medium heat until the sauce thickens.
Once the Ba Wan are cooked, remove them from the mold or bowl, pour the sauce over them, and serve.