Sticky Rice Balls with Pork Mince (Xôi Bọc Thịt)

A quick and comforting sticky rice dinner

It's Friday evening and all I wanted was a bowl of sticky rice for dinner. It had to be quick too as work was incredibly busy today. I browsed through all the sticky rice recipes on my blog and while they are all delicious, I fancied something new - something I could make entirely from what I already had in the fridge. With pork mince as the key ingredient, the idea of Sticky Rice Balls with Pork Mince (Xôi Bọc Thịt) came together, inspired by my Vietnamese Steamed Buns and my beloved Bánh Khúc.

This dish is comforting, fragrant and incredibly satisfying. The juicy meat filling wrapped in soft, sticky rice makes it a perfect weeknight option. Even better, everything is steamed, meaning minimal fuss and maximum flavour.

The filling: juicy, flavourful and fragrant

What goes inside the meatballs

The filling in these Sticky Rice Balls with Pork Mince (Xôi Bọc Thịt) is very similar to the mix I use in my Vietnamese Steamed Buns recipe. It's a beautiful combination of savoury, sweet and aromatic ingredients:

• Pork mince
• Chinese sweet sausages, finely chopped
• Dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked and chopped
• Carrots, diced into tiny cubes
• Spring onions, finely chopped

The seasoning mixture brings everything together with balance and depth: soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, ground pepper and a touch of light brown sugar to round out the savouriness. Simply mix everything well and roll into meatballs. This recipe makes ten generous meatballs (full quantities in the recipe card below).

Preparing the sticky rice

Choose the rice

Before work this morning, I soaked my glutinous rice in warm water to give it a head start. If you've followed my sticky rice recipes before, you'll know I usually use Vietnamese glutinous rice - short, round, fragrant grains that steam beautifully. However, any type of glutinous rice will work. Soaking for a few hours or overnight helps the grains cook evenly and remain glossy. I'm already imagining trying this recipe next time using black glutinous rice for a stunning colour contrast.

Seasoning the rice

Once soaked, I drain the rice and season it with a little salt and olive oil for shine. A pinch of turmeric powder is optional but I love adding it for that bright, cheerful yellow hue. It gives the dish a beautiful Vietnamese street-food look.

Making and steaming the Sticky Rice Balls with Pork Mince

Wrapping the meatballs

Each meatball is rolled gently in the seasoned glutinous rice. Using slightly wet hands helps the rice cling to the meat. Make sure the meatballs are covered all over with the turmeric-tinted grains.

Steaming tips

Line your steamer with a muslin cloth - it makes everything easier to lift later and prevent condensation from dripping onto the rice. Spread a thin layer of glutinous rice on the bottom, place the rice-covered meatballs on top (spaced apart), then cover them in the remaining rice. Poke a few holes through the rice so steam can travel through and cook everything evenly. Wrap the muslin over the top and steam for 35-40 minutes.

While they steam, prepare the fried shallots and spring onion oil - the essential toppings for sticky rice dishes.

The essential toppings

Fried shallots

Slice your shallots and fry them in hot oil until just golden. Remove immediately so they don't darken too much and turn bitter.

Spring onion oil

Pour the hot oil over a bowl of finely chopped. It lightly cooks them while keeping that bright fresh-green colour and aroma.

Bring it all together

Once the Sticky Rice Balls with Pork Mince have finished steaming, wear gloves to handle them easily. Add a little more sticky rice around each one and gently press into smooth, even balls. Place them on a serving plate, drizzle with spring onion oil and finish with a generous sprinkle of crispy fried shallots.

The result? Soft, fragrant sticky rice surrounding a juicy, flavourful meatball full of texture from the mushrooms, sausages and carrots. Pure comfort!