The dim sum item consisting of steamed beef balls often served with Worcestershire sauce is beef balls. The Cantonese version is a springy steamed meatball made mainly from minced beef, traditionally mixed with seasonings and often water chestnut for crunch.
These beef balls are a familiar item at Cantonese tea houses in Guangdong, Hong Kong, and overseas Chinatowns. They are commonly placed on tofu skin or peas in the steamer so they do not sit directly in cooking juices. Coriander and dried tangerine peel may also be used for fragrance.
Worcestershire sauce is an especially recognizable accompaniment in Hong Kong-style dim sum. Its tangy, savory flavor contrasts with the mild beef and bouncy texture of the meatball.
The dish is sometimes confused with fish balls, shrimp balls, or pork balls, all of which are also common in Chinese cuisine. The defining ingredient here is beef. Some versions are labeled steamed meatball rather than simply beef ball, but both names describe the same dim sum preparation.