Lion's Head Meatballs

Total time: 13 hr 45 min

Active time: 45 min

Serves: 4

Lion's head meatballs is a signature dish of Huaiyang cuisine, one of the four great traditions in Chinese cuisine. It features hearty pork meatballs immersed in a umami broth of dried scallops and shrimp.

Ingredients

1 pound pork tenderloin

12 ounces silken tofu

1 tablespoon corn starch (if available)

1 teaspoon salt

1/3 teaspoon white pepper (if available)

1 liter water

1/2 napa cabbage

4 dried scallops (if available)

6 dried shrimps (if available)

3 ounces ginger

3 bulbs spring onion (if available)

Preparation

  1. Soak dried shrimps and dried scallops overnight in refrigerator.

Steps

  1. Shape meatballs.

    • Dice pork tenderloin into 1/2-cm or 1/3-inch blocks.

    • Mix salt, white pepper, and corn starch evenly into diced pork tenderloin.

    • Mash silken tofu. Mix into pork tenderloin.

    • Shape mixture into six to seven balls. Set aside.

  2. Create broth.

    • Heat water in a pot large enough to hold the meatballs and napa cabbage.

    • Cut ginger into 3-cm or 1-inch stripes. Add to pot.

    • Cut napa cabbage into 3-cm or 1-inch pieces. Add to pot.

    • When water boils, reduce heat to medium-low. Cover pot and cook for ten minutes.

  3. Simmer meatballs.

    • Add meatballs and dried scallops and dried shrimps to pot.

    • Cover and cook for forty-five minutes.

  4. Garnish and serve.

    • Cut scallion into 3-cm or 1-inch stripes. Immerse into pot.

    • Serve meatballs with broth after the dining table is set.