Porcupine Meatballs with Rice Quills and Hot-Sweet Mustard

• 1 cup short-, medium-, or long-grain white rice
• 1 teaspoon loose green tea leaves, any kind
• 1 tablespoon boiling water
• 1 pound ground pork
• 1/4 cup finely chopped scallions, mostly light green parts
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon peeled and minced fresh ginger
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/3 cup hot-sweet mustard
• 2 tablespoons tamari soy sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon Asian sesame oil

1. To make the sausage, soak the rice in water to cover for 45 minutes.
2. Drain in a colander, shake dry, and spread on a plate.
3. In a small cup, steep the tea in the boiling water for 3 minutes.
4. When cool, combine the leaves and water with the pork, scallions, soy sauce, ginger, cilantro, white pepper, and salt in a medium bowl, and knead with your hands until thoroughly blended.
5. Form the sausage into small balls, using about 1 tablespoon for each ball.
6. Roll each ball in the rice, pressing the grains into the ball so they adhere.
7. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use, up to 2 days.
8. To cook the meatballs, line a bamboo steamer basket with lettuce leaves.
9. Set the meatballs, without crowding them, on the lettuce.
10. Select a wok that the steamer basket will fit in or a pot the same diameter as the basket so that the basket will rest firmly on the rim.
11. Pour in water to a depth of 1 inch and bring to a boil over high heat.
12. Set the steamer basket in the wok or on top of the pot, cover the basket or pot, and steam until the meatballs are no longer pink at the center and the rice is tender, about 25 minutes.
13. To serve, spread the mustard in the center of a small plate.
14. Swirl the soy sauce on one side of the mustard and pool the sesame oil on the other.
15. Serve the meatballs in the bamboo steamer or transfer them to a platter.
16. Offer toothpicks for picking up the meatballs and dipping them into the mustard mixture on the plate.

white rice, loose green tea, boiling water, ground pork, scallions, soy sauce, fresh ginger, fresh cilantro, freshly ground white pepper, kosher salt, hotsweet mustard, soy sauce, asian sesame oil

Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/porcupine-meatballs-with-rice-quills-and-hot-sweet-mustard-389428 (may not work)