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BRAISED LION'S HEAD MEATBALLS
狮子头
(si zi táu)
What You'll Need
Tools For The Tasks
Tongs
Let's Get Cooking!
To prepare Braised Lion’s Head Meatballs, start by soaking dried shiitake mushrooms until rehydrated. Combine hand-chopped pork with minced ginger, chopped scallions, oyster sauce, soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, egg, salt, and cornstarch, mixing thoroughly. Incorporate chopped mushrooms, then add sesame oil for a paste-like mixture. Fry meatballs until golden brown. For the sauce, heat oil in a casserole, add ginger, scallions, and rock sugar until dissolved. Add sauces, wine, and water, then bring to a boil. Add meatballs and braise for 15 minutes. Blanch bok choy and arrange them on a plate. Transfer the meatballs to the same plate. Thicken sauce with cornstarch slurry, add sesame oil, and drizzle over meatballs.
Beyond The Recipe
On Pork
On Toppings
On Texture
On Technique
Braised Lion's Head Meatballs (si zi táu)
Course: PorkCuisine: Jiangsu8
servings50
minutes30
minutes260
kcalThe Jiangsu dish is renowned for its ability to bring a sense of comfort and satisfaction to those who indulge in it, thanks to the succulent pork meatballs that are meticulously crafted and cooked to perfection in a luscious braising sauce that is teeming with flavors. The umami richness of this dish is further elevated by the addition of shiitake mushrooms, imparting a deep and earthy taste that tantalizes the taste buds. In addition, the fresh ginger and scallions not only contribute to the overall flavor profile but also lend a fragrant warmth that envelops the senses with each bite.
INGREDIENTS
- For the meatballs:
1 lb Pork Belly (approx. 450g) (hand-chopped)
1-inch Ginger (minced)
2 Stalk Scallions (whole) (chopped)
8 Dried Shiitake Mushrooms (medium) (chopped)
1 Large Egg
1 tbsp Oyster Sauce
1 tbsp Light Soy Sauce
1 tbsp Shaoxing Wine
1/2 tsp Salt (adjust to taste)
1 tsp Sesame Oil
1 tbsp Cornstarch
Vegetable Oil (for frying)
- For the sauce:
1-inch Ginger (thick slices)
2 Stalk Scallions (whole) (2-inch piece)
0.35 oz. Rock Sugar (approx.10g)
1 tbsp Oyster Sauce
1 tbsp Light Soy Sauce
1 tbsp Shaoxing Wine
2 cups Water
1 tsp Cornstarch (mix with 2 tsp water)
1/2 tsp Sesame Oil
1 tbsp Vegetable Oil
- For the sides:
6 Baby Bok Choy (cut into half)
2 cups Water
1/2 tsp Salt
DIRECTIONS
- Preparation steps:
- Let's get started by washing the dried shiitake mushrooms under running water to get rid of any dirt or dust particles. After that, trim off the stems of the dried shiitake mushrooms to help speed up the soaking process.
- After that step, place the dried shiitake mushrooms in a bowl filled with warm water and allow them to soak for 30 minutes until they are completely rehydrated.
- While the mushrooms are soaking, finely chop the fresh ginger and the scallions for the meatballs. Also, slice the fresh ginger into thick pieces, and cut the scallion whites into 2-inch lengths for the braising sauce.
- Cut the baby bok choy into equal halves.
- If you'd like to prepare the pork belly at home, use the hand-chopping method. A finer texture is perfect for the meatballs. Alternatively, you can use store-bought ground pork belly.
- Marination steps:
- Put the ground pork in a large mixing bowl and add the minced ginger, chopped scallions, oyster sauce, light soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, egg, salt, and cornstarch. Mix everything well with chopsticks for about 10 minutes. Set it aside.
- Once the shiitake mushrooms are rehydrated, gently squeeze out the excess water and chop them up. Add the chopped mushrooms to the meat mixture and mix thoroughly.
- Lastly, add sesame oil to the mixture and mix until it forms a paste-like consistency to ensure the meatballs hold their shape when frying.
- Cooking steps:
- When frying the pork meatballs, use a small pot with less oil filled to a depth of 2 to 3 inches. Gradually heat the oil over medium heat until it reaches a temperature of 325 degrees (163°C).
- Grease your hands and divide the meat mixture into 8 equal parts. Shape each part into a ball and carefully lower them one by one into the oil, ensuring only 3–4 meatballs are fried at a time (adjust based on pot size).
- To maintain the oil temperature, avoid overcrowding the pot by frying in smaller batches. Fry the meatballs for around 2 minutes, or until they turn golden brown, then transfer them to a plate lined with paper towels.
- Now, for the braising sauce, warm vegetable oil in a casserole. Add the ginger and white parts of the scallions, cook for 1 minute, then add the rock sugar and cook until dissolved. Include oyster sauce, light soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, and water. Stir and bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat.
- In the meantime, create a cornstarch slurry by combining equal parts of cornstarch and water.
- Once the mixture is boiling, reduce the heat. Add all the fried pork meatballs to the casserole. Cover and braise for approximately 15 minutes, flipping the meatballs halfway through.
- Boil water in another pot, add salt, blanch the baby bok choy, then transfer it to ice-cold water (to maintain the color). Gently remove excess water and arrange them in a circle on a serving plate.
- Now, let's take a look at the casserole. The braising liquid should have been reduced by now. Please transfer the meatballs to the same serving plate as the one with baby bok choy.
- Mix the cornstarch slurry into the remaining braising sauce, and once it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, add some sesame oil. Drizzle this delicious sauce over the meatballs.