Thai-Style Shrimp Balls with Napa Cabbage Dinner Recipe
These Thai-style shrimp balls are infused with ginger and lime, served on Napa cabbage leaves for a refreshing and aromatic dinner option. Quick to prepare and steam, they pair beautifully with rice or noodles and come with a flavorful dipping sauce.
Equipment
- Steamer basket (or DIY method with foil balls and a plate)
Ingredients
For the Shrimp Balls:
- 1 pound medium shrimp peeled and chopped into small chunks
- 2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger
- 1 garlic clove grated or minced
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh chives plus more for garnish
- 1 large egg white
- Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lime
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 4–6 Napa cabbage leaves for steaming
For the Dipping Sauce:
- 4½ tablespoons soy sauce
- 1½ tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1½ teaspoons toasted sesame oil
- 1½ teaspoons light or dark brown sugar
- 1½ tablespoons sliced scallions green parts only
Instructions
- Make the Dipping Sauce: Combine the soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, brown sugar, and lime juice in a medium bowl. Add 1 tablespoon of the minced ginger and whisk until the sugar dissolves completely. Stir in the sliced scallions and set the sauce aside for serving.
- Prepare the Shrimp Mixture: In a large mixing bowl, combine the shrimp, 1 tablespoon of ginger, grated garlic, chives, egg white, lime zest, lime juice, and kosher salt. Mix thoroughly until well incorporated. Shape the mixture into 1-inch balls and arrange them on a baking sheet lined with wax or parchment paper. If you’re not steaming the shrimp balls right away, refrigerate them for up to 4 hours.
- Set Up the Steamer and Cook the Shrimp Balls: Line the bottom of a steamer basket with 1–2 Napa cabbage leaves, making sure the surface is covered. Place the steamer basket inside a pot with about an inch of water. Bring the water to a simmer. Working in batches, place the shrimp balls on the cabbage leaves in the steamer basket, cover, and cook for 3 minutes, flipping the shrimp balls halfway through to ensure even cooking. Once done, transfer the shrimp balls and cabbage leaves to a plate. Use fresh cabbage leaves for each batch.
- Serve: Arrange the steamed shrimp balls on a platter, along with the cabbage leaves if desired. Sprinkle additional chives over the top for garnish. Serve the shrimp balls with the prepared dipping sauce on the side. You can enjoy the cabbage leaves as part of the meal or skip them, depending on your preference.
Notes
- These shrimp balls can also be served over rice or noodles with a drizzle of sesame oil for a hearty meal.
- For a DIY steamer basket, use large foil balls in a pot with a plate on top, ensuring the plate is above water level.
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