Lion's Head Meatballs

Method

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1. Put the pork in a large bowl with the egg white, spring onions, ginger, wine, soy, sugar, salt, pepper and cornflour.

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2. Stir vigorously in one direction only for 4 to 5 minutes until the mixture turns visibly sticky and pale.

   Mark done Start 4 min timer

3. Add the iced water a tablespoon at a time, still stirring in the same direction, waiting for each addition to be absorbed. The mixture should end up soft and glossy.

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4. Chill 30 minutes, then shape into 6 large balls, throwing each from hand to hand a few times to compact it.

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5. Heat the oil in a wide pot and brown the meatballs gently for 3 minutes, turning once. They are fragile — move them with a spoon, not tongs.

   Mark done Start 3 min timer

6. Lift them out, add the cabbage to the pot, and lay the meatballs on top.

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7. Pour in the stock, wine, soy and ginger, bring to a bare simmer, and cover.

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8. Braise on the lowest heat for 50 minutes. Do not stir at any point.

   Mark done Start 50 min timer

9. Lift out the meatballs and cabbage, thicken the broth with the cornflour slurry, and pour it over to serve.

   Mark done

Chef’s Tips

• One direction only when stirring. Changing direction breaks the protein strands that hold these together.
• They should feel almost too soft to shape. That is correct — firm mixture gives dense meatballs.
• Do not stir the braise. Lift the pot and swirl it if you must move things.

Common Substitutions & Variations

• Out of spring onions? A small regular onion, finely sliced, or a few chives stirred in at the end both cover the job.
• A quarter-teaspoon of ground ginger per tablespoon of fresh is the standard ratio if you are working from the spice rack rather than a fresh root.
• Vegetable stock in place of the chicken stock makes this meat-free without changing the method, if that is what you need.

Pairing Suggestions

• Steamed rice
• A light Chinese tea
• Blanched greens

Storage & Reheating

Refrigerate up to 3 days in the broth and reheat gently. Freezes 2 months.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.