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  • SHANGHAINESE LION’S HEAD

    4 votes
    SHANGHAINESE LION’S HEAD
    Prep: 20 min Cook: 45 min Servings: 4
    by Linda Tay Esposito
    31 recipes
    >
    They call it Lion's Head because the meatballs are ye big with manes of soft, tender napa cabbage...looking like a lion. Seriously, in Shanghai, the meatballs are the size of a tennis ball - let's call that a quarter pounder meatball. Slowly braise or steam to get a tender, melt-in-your-mouth meatballs. If you have a small claypot, braise the meatballs in the claypot and serve directly from it.

    Ingredients

    • 1 lb ground pork
    • 1 egg white
    • ¼ cup green onions, white parts only, finely chopped
    • ¼ cup water chestnuts, drained and diced finely,1/8 inch cubes
    • 1 Tablespoons ginger, grated
    • 1 clove garlic, minced
    • 1 Tablespoons light soy sauce
    • ½ teaspoon sesame oil
    • 1 teaspoon Shaoxing wine
    • 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
    • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
    • ¼ teaspoon ground white pepper
    • ½ cup cornstarch for dusting meatballs
    • ½ cup canola oil
    • 2 cloves garlic, lightly smashed, leaving it still whole
    • 5 slices ginger
    • 2 cups chicken stock
    • 1 Tablespoon Shaoxing wine
    • 1 Tablespoon light soy sauce
    • 1 teaspoon sugar
    • ½ Tablespoon kosher salt
    • ¼ teaspoon ground white pepper
    • 1 small napa cabbage leaves, about 8 pieces, cut into 3X1 inch pieces
    • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
    • 1 tablespoon cornstarch + 2 Tablespoons water (optional)

    Directions

    1. Preparing the meatballs: Mix together the meatball ingredients (pork, egg white, chopped green onions, water chestnuts, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, sesame oil, shaoxing wine, cornstarch, salt and pepper.) Place the mixture into the freezer and chill 5 minutes.
    2. Form meatballs by hand into 2-inch rounds. Dust lightly with cornstarch. Set on a baking tray. You should have about 8 meatballs. (For a classic serving, the meatballs should be the size of a tennis ball, in that case, you should get 4 meatballs).
    3. Browning the meatballs: Heat about ½ inch of canola oil in a large sauté pan. Brown the meatballs over medium-high heat, in batches, until golden brown on all sides. Set aside.
    4. Preparing the sauce: Using the same pan, remove all but 2 tablespoons oil. Heat on high, add ginger and garlic. Fry for 10 seconds. Add chicken stock and bring to a boil, then add remaining sauce ingredients (Shaoxing wine, soy sauce, sugar and salt). Pour the chicken stock mixture over the meatballs.
    5. Slow-cooking the meatballs: Gently transfer the meatballs into the pan. Add more stock if needed to cover the meatballs entirely. Cover and simmer (or steamed or baked 400°F) for 20 minutes.
    6. Scatter the cabbage on top and continue simmering for another 20 minutes. The sauce should be reduced to half.
    7. If you prefer a thicker sauce, transfer the sauce into a small sauce pan and reduce the sauce further to a nappe consistency, or add the cornstarch and water slurry to thicken.
    8. Finish with sesame oil.

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    Reviews

    • bernardine rogers
      bernardine rogers
      This was simply super and I am looking forward to making it myself.

      Comments

      • Barbara Ann Day
        Barbara Ann Day
        I am looking forward to trying this recipe! My husband and I are both big fans of Chinese food and we cook chinese dishes almost every week.

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