Lions Head Meatballs With Napa Cabbage Recipes

LION'S HEAD MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Pour boiling water over shiitake mushrooms, and let sit until soft enough to slice, about 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, combine chestnuts and tofu in a large bowl. Add ground pork, green onions, garlic, and ginger. Pour in rice wine, soy sauce, salt, cayenne, brown sugar, and egg. Dust with cornstarch. Mix with a clean hand until thoroughly combined. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
• Form mixture into 6 large meatballs with wet hands.
• Set an oven rack about 8 inches from the heat source and preheat the oven's broiler. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and oil lightly. Place meatballs on the prepared baking sheet.
• Broil in the preheated oven until browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool while prepping the pot.
• Trim off the bottom of the head of cabbage and slice 1/2 of the head. Arrange sliced cabbage on the bottom of a large soup pot or Dutch oven. Arrange the remaining leaves on the top. Slice and scatter the mushrooms on top of the cabbage; reserve shiitake liquid. Nestle the meatballs into the cabbage leaves and pour juices over.
• Strain reserved shiitake liquid into a bowl. Add chicken broth, soy sauce, sherry, sesame oil, brown sugar, and cornstarch. Whisk until dissolved. Add to the pot, pouring over each meatball. Bring to a boil over high heat.
• Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for 20 minutes. Uncover and raise heat to medium-high. Continue cooking, basting the meatballs often, until liquid reduces slightly and meatballs are no longer pink in the centers, about 10 minutes. Taste for seasoning.
• Ladle into serving bowls and arrange cabbage over the meatballs. Top with green onions and chili oil.

CHINESE LION'S HEAD SOUP

Steps:

• Mix the ground pork, egg, cornstarch, 2 teaspoons of sesame oil, ginger, monosodium glutamate, salt, and half of the chopped green onions together in a bowl. Use your hands to mix until the ingredients are evenly distributed. Set aside.
• Heat the vegetable oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat. When the oil is hot, fry the napa cabbage, stirring constantly, until cabbage begins to wilt, 2 to 3 minutes. Pour in the chicken broth, water, and soy sauce. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to medium.
• Use a spoon to form the meat mixture into 1 inch balls. Drop them into the boiling soup. When the last ball has been added, cover with a lid and simmer for 10 minutes. Taste, and adjust salt before serving. Garnish with remaining green onions and a drizzle of sesame oil.

LION'S HEAD CASSEROLE (SHIH TZU TOU)

Steps:

• Cover mushrooms with boiling-hot water (2 cups) in a bowl and let stand 30 minutes, then squeeze excess water from mushrooms and reserve 1 cup mushroom-soaking liquid (discard remainder or reserve for another use). Discard mushroom stems and cut caps into very thin slices.
• Meanwhile, mix together pork, scallions, water chestnuts, rice wine, sesame oil, sugar, 1 tablespoon ginger, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large bowl with your hands. Gather together pork mixture and throw against bottom or side of bowl 5 or 6 times to firm texture, then chill, covered, until ready to use.
• Remove and reserve 4 large cabbage leaves. Halve cabbage head lengthwise, then cut out and discard core. Cut cabbage halves crosswise into 2-inch-wide pieces.
• Heat wok over high heat until a drop of water evaporates instantly. Swirl 2 tablespoons peanut oil to coat bottom and sides of wok, then stir-fry mushrooms, half of cabbage, and remaining tablespoon ginger until cabbage begins to wilt, 1 to 2 minutes. Add remaining cabbage and 3/4 teaspoon salt and stir-fry until all of cabbage has begun to wilt, about 3 minutes. Add reserved soaking liquid (1 cup) and continue stir-frying until cabbage is wilted, about 3 minutes. Transfer mixture to a 4-quart clay pot or a 4- to 5-quart heavy pot, arranging evenly on bottom. Wipe wok clean with paper towels.
• Stir together cornstarch, pepper, and remaining tablespoon soy sauce in a small bowl until smooth.
• Divide pork mixture into quarters, then coat your hands with some of cornstarch mixture. Form 4 large meatballs, transferring each as formed to a large plate and then recoating your hands.
• Heat wok over high heat until a drop of water evaporates instantly, then pour in remaining peanut oil (enough to measure a scant 1/4 inch in wok). Reduce heat to moderately high and gently arrange meatballs in wok. Fry meatballs, turning gently with tongs or a slotted spoon, until deep golden on all sides, about 5 minutes total (if meatballs stick to wok, add more oil). Transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain, then arrange on top of cabbage in pot. Add broth, then cover meatballs completely with reserved 4 cabbage leaves. Bring liquid just to a boil, then reduce heat and gently simmer, covered, 1 hour. (Check occasionally to be sure liquid is not boiling vigorously.) Season broth with salt, then move large cabbage leaves around side of pot to resemble a lion's mane. Serve in individual shallow bowls.

LION'S HEAD MEATBALLS WITH NAPA CABBAGE

Steps:

• To make the meatballs-combine the ground pork, scallion, cornstarch, water chestnuts, egg, ginger, soy sauce, sherry, sesame oil, crushed garlic, salt and pepper in a large bowl and mix well.
• Cover and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes or up to 4 hours.
• Using your wet hands rinsed under cold water, shape the pork mixture into 8 equal large meatballs; transfer to a plate.
• Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat.
• Put the cornstarch in a shallow bowl.
• Roll each meatball in the cornstarch, shaking off the excess, and place in the skillet.
• Cook, turning occasionally, until lightly browned on all sides, about 6 minutes.
• Using slotted spoon, return the meatballs to the plate.
• Add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil and the garlic to the skillet and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
• In batches, stir in the cabbage and cook until wilted.
• Add the broth, soy sauce, and sugar and bring to a boil.
• Nestle the meatballs in the cabbage.
• Decrease heat to med-low and cover.
• Simmer until the meatballs are cooked through and the cabbage is tender, about 15 minutes.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Spoon the meatballs, cabbage mixture and cooking liquid into shallow bowls.
• Sprinkle with minced scallions and drizzle with sesame oil.
• Serve hot with the rice and additional soy sauce passed on the side.