Yield: 6 servings
 
     1/2 c       Uncooked short grain rice
     3/4 lb      Lean ground pork
       2          Water chestnuts
       3 ts       Dried shrimp, soaked/minced
       1          Stalk green onion, minced
     1/2 ts      Minced ginger
       2 tb       Chopped carrot
       2 ts       Soya sauce
       4 ts       Cornstarch
       1           Egg white
     3/4 ts      Sugar
     3/4 ts      Salt
                   Pinch white pepper
 
Soak rice in warm water for 1-1/2 to 2 hours.  Drain well and set aside. Mix pork with the remaining ingredients in a bowl.  Form into 14 meat balls: take a fistful of the mixture and squeeze out a meatball between your thumb and index finger.  Use a wet soup spoon to remove meatballs from your fist.  Roll the meatballs in the soaked rice until evenly coated. Gently press rice into meatballs.  Steam over high heat for 25-30 minutes. Add more water to the steamer if necessary.  Serve with soya sauce, if desired.
  
Pearls can be kept in the refrigerator and resteamed.