Japonese Sticky Rice Balls by Ineke Steine

Ingredients

1/2 pound lean ground pork

1 egg white, lightly beaten

1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce

1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

8 cups chicken stock or canned fat-free, low-salt chicken broth

6 cups assorted vegetables (such as carrots, celery, cauliflower, broccoli, daikon and/or turnips), cut into thin strips or slices

18 clams in their shells

1 jalapeńo chile, seeded and finely chopped

1 package (21 ounces) fresh udon noodles or 1 package (17.6 ounces) dried

1 tablespoon Asian sesame oil

Method

In a small bowl, lightly mix the pork with the egg white, flour, souy sauce, and ginger. Shape into 1-inch balls. In a large saucepan, bring the chicken stock to a boil. Lower heat to a simmer, add the pork balls and cook for 5 minutes. Add the vegetables, clams, and jalapeńo, and simmer just until the vegetables are crisp tender and the clams have opened. Remove any clams that do not open.

Meanwhile, cook the udon in a pot of boiling salted water for 3 minutes or according to package directions. Drain and toss with sesame oil. Add to the pan with the rest of the ingredients, season with salt and pepper to taste, and heat through.