Dry-Fried Meatballs (Gan Zha Wan Zi)
Crispy on the outside, tender and juicy inside, golden brown – these meatballs are a classic Beijing dish. Simple to make but needs careful timing.
Ingredients
11 items- Pork leg (70% lean, 30% fat) 500g
- Ginger 10g
- Scallions 15g
- Shaoxing wine 1 tbsp
- Light soy sauce 1 tbsp
- Salt 1 tsp
- White pepper A pinch
- Egg 1
- Cornstarch 2 tbsp
- Cooking oil As needed
- Sichuan pepper salt To serve
Nutrition
Steps （6 steps）
Place minced pork in a bowl. Add ginger, scallions, wine, soy sauce, salt, white pepper, egg, and cornstarch. Mix well.
Stir in one direction for about 5 minutes until the mixture becomes sticky and bouncy. Add a little water if needed to bind.
Oil your palms. Take about 25g of the mixture and roll into 2.5cm balls. Place on a plate.
Heat oil in a pot to 160°C (small bubbles around chopsticks). Deep-fry meatballs over medium-low heat for 5 minutes until lightly golden. Drain.
Increase oil temperature to 200°C (slight smoke). Deep-fry again over high heat for 1-2 minutes until golden and crispy. Drain.
Blot excess oil with paper towels. Serve with Sichuan pepper salt or sweet chili sauce.
Tips
Mixing the meat mixture until sticky is key for crispy yet tender meatballs. A second fry helps remove excess oil and makes the shell extra crispy. Control oil temperature carefully.
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