Vietnamese Beef Balls Thit Bo Vien
These crunchy little beef balls are very popular among the vietnamese. They are served mainly as appetizers or added to noodle soups. Chili sauce (tuong ot) is the usual accompaniment, but any hot red pepper sauce can be served alongside.
Steps
In a shallow dish , mix the fish sauce , potato starch , baking powder , sugar and white pepper.
Slice the meat into 1 / 8-inch-thick pieces.
Add to the marinade and mix well.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours , or overnight.
Before proceeding , transfer the meat to the freezer for 30 minutes.
Work with half of the beef at a time.
Do not overload the work bowl.
In a food processor , combine half of the beef with half of the garlic and sesame oil.
Process to a completely smooth but stiff paste , about 3 minutes.
Stop occasionally to scrape down the sides of the work bowl.
The completed paste should spring back to the touch.
Transfer the paste to a bowl.
Process the remaining beef , garlic and sesame oil the same way.
Rub some vegetable oil on one hand , and grab a handful of the meat paste and close your hand into a fist , squeezing out a small portion of the mixture , about 1 teaspoon , between your thumb and index finger.
Keep rolling and squeezing the same po.
Ingredients
fish sauce, potato starch, baking powder, sugar, fresh ground white pepper, boneless beef shank, garlic, oriental sesame oil, vegetable oil