Shrimp Pearl-Balls

Glutinous sweet rice taste wonderful steamed.  Normally, the ground pork is used to make this dish, but I ran out of it, so I tested with shrimps.  Taste??? well, it's missing something, I am not sure what.  I will have to improve on it.  Maybe a dab of fat pork would do?

Form the grounded shrimps into a ball and roll it in glutinous sweet rice.  *The sweet rice is wash thoroughly till the water is clear and soaked in water for 30 min, then, strained well before use. (but not dry).

 Get the steamer ready.  These pearl balls are set in 'steamer' pan on top of the electric rice cooker.  I have never used it to steam anything.  Since it is not mine, it has been sitting in far corner of the kitchen cabinet for many years.  I filled the 'rice' cooking pot section with cold water - half of the pot.  Cover with lid and turn the rice cooker on.  Steam for an hour.  *Never open the lid of the rice cooking pot - well, there is no such thing as 'never'.  But I think if you are raised with rice as staple food, you and I have been told many a times - don't open the lid to check until it is ready

 After an hour, turn off the rice cooker.  Wait 10 min.  Then, open the lid carefully not to let the steam rain down on the pearl-balls.  Set the lid on the lid rester.  The sweet rice should look all translucent.  If your rice cooker has a glass lid, then, just check for translucent rice all around.   I rather cook it long enough to make sure the rice is cooked and internal meat is cooked through.  Uncooked rice is challenging to recook once the heat is turned off; and it usually require additional water, and there is a consequence of rice turning 'mushy'.

 The next day, they turned into my BENTO in mini-cupcake cups.