狮子头肉丸

Lion’s Head Meatballs

This dish is so named because the large meatballs are said to look like lions’ heads surrounded by a mane of bok choy (pak choi). Originally the meatballs tended to be made from pork and pork fat and were coarser in texture.

serves 4

450 g (1 lb) minced (ground) pork

1 egg white

4 spring onions (scallions), finely chopped

1 tablespoon Shaoxing rice wine

1 teaspoon grated ginger

1 tablespoon light soy sauce

2 teaspoons sugar

1 teaspoon roasted sesame oil

300 g (10½ oz) bok choy (pak choi)

1 tablespoon cornflour (cornstarch)

oil for frying

500 ml (17 fl oz/2 cups) chicken and meat stock

Put the pork and egg white in a food processor and process briefly until you have a fluffy mixture, or mash the pork in a large bowl and gradually stir in the egg white, beating the mixture well until it is fluffy. Add the spring onion, rice wine, ginger, soy sauce, sugar and sesame oil, season with salt and white pepper, and process or beat again briefly. Fry a small portion of the mixture and taste it, reseasoning if necessary. Divide the mixture into walnut-size balls.

Separate the bok choy leaves and place in the bottom of a clay pot or casserole.

Dust the meatballs with cornflour. Heat a wok over high heat, add 1 cm (½ inch) oil and heat until very hot. Cook the meatballs in batches until they are browned all over. Drain well and add to the clay pot in an even layer. Pour off the oil and wipe out the wok.

Reheat the wok over high heat until very hot, add the chicken stock and heat until it is boiling. Pour over the meatballs. Cover and bring very slowly to the boil. Simmer gently with the lid slightly open for 1½ hours, or until the meatballs are very tender. Serve the meatballs in the dish they were cooked in.

Right: Roll the mixture into balls using the palms of your hands.

Far right: Dust with cornflour (cornstarch) to prevent the meatballs from sticking when you cook them.