**Lion's Head Meatballs: A Taste of Chinese Culinary Tradition**
Lion's head meatballs, also known as "shizi tou" in Chinese, are a classic dish that holds a prominent place in Chinese cuisine. Originating from the Jiangsu and Shanghai regions of China, these meatballs are characterized by their large size, tender texture, and flavorful broth. Typically made with a combination of ground pork and shrimp, lion's head meatballs are braised in a rich and savory sauce, often incorporating ingredients like ginger, scallions, and soy sauce. They are commonly served as a main course, accompanied by steamed rice or noodles, and are enjoyed for their comforting and hearty qualities. This article provides two variations of lion's head meatball recipes: a traditional version and a simplified version for those seeking a quicker and easier option. Both recipes offer detailed instructions and helpful tips to ensure successful preparation of this iconic Chinese dish.
LION'S HEAD MEATBALLS
People throw out the term "melt-in-your-mouth" pretty casually, but these meatballs really are. Some people think the name comes from their large size, while others believe eating these gives you the strength of a lion, but the actual answer is not quite as mythical. The look of this crinkled-up napa cabbage reminded the inventors of this dish of a lion's mane.
Provided by Chef John
Categories World Cuisine Recipes Asian Chinese
Time 2h15m
Yield 6
Number Of Ingredients 24
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.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 315.4 calories, Carbohydrate 18.5 g, Cholesterol 82.1 mg, Fat 18.1 g, Fiber 2.6 g, Protein 20.6 g, SaturatedFat 5.2 g, Sodium 1607.8 mg, Sugar 7.4 g
LION HEAD MEATBALLS
This dish was said to be an imperial dish that the emperor ate. It is called Lion Head meatballs because, once cooked, the meatballs are surrounded by Chinese cabbage, and the meatball is said to resemble the head of the lion, while the long pieces of cabbage resemble the 'mane' of the lion. My mother can be quite superstitious and when she cooked this dish when I was younger she told us that we would be as strong as lions if we ate it. It worked. This is something I plan to cook and share if I have children one day. Serve with steamed rice, as the rice helps to soak up the juices of the broth.
Provided by Food Network
Categories main-dish
Time 50m
Yield 16 servings
Number Of Ingredients 22
Steps:
- For the meatballs:
- Put the ground beef, rice wine, garlic, spring onions, egg, ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil, cornstarch, salt, and white pepper into a large bowl to combine, stirring in the same direction.
- Using wet hands, scoop a large mound of the ground meat mixture, and mold it into a ball. The size should be a little larger than a golf ball. Transfer the meatball to a plate and repeat with the remaining mixture.
- For the assembly:
- Pour the groundnut oil into a large deep pan, and heat over a high heat. Using a metal ladle, carefully lower each meatball into the oil, and spoon some of the oil over the meatballs. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, or until browned.
- Pour all but 2 tablespoons of oil into a heat-proof bowl. Add the vegetable stock to the pan. Arrange the quarters of Chinese cabbage around the meatballs, curving them lengthwise around the sides of the pan, then add the mushrooms, and soy sauce. Bring everything to a boil. Cover the pan, reduce its heat, and cook gently for 15 minutes. Add the blended cornstarch slurry, if using, and stir until the sauce thickens.
- Remove the pan from the heat, and season with salt, and white pepper, to taste, and sprinkle over the spring onion slices. Transfer the dish to a warm serving platter, and serve immediately.
- Heat a pan, add the rice and water, cover, and cook over high heat for 15 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to very low, and cook for an additional 3 minutes, making sure all the water has evaporated. Remove from the heat and, using a spatula, fluff the rice. It is now ready to serve.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 285, Fat 14 grams, SaturatedFat 3 grams, Cholesterol 45 milligrams, Sodium 408 milligrams, Carbohydrate 26 grams, Fiber 2 grams, Protein 12 grams, Sugar 2 grams
LION'S HEAD MEATBALLS
This is a famous dish along the Yangtze, with regional variations. In Shanghai, the sauce will be sweet and sour. In Chongqing, it will be hot and spicy. And in Wuhan...well, it will depend on the season and the mood of the chef. From EatingWell magazine July/August 2007 and posted for ZWT6.
Provided by kitty.rock
Categories < 60 Mins
Time 40m
Yield 10 appetizer servings, 10 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 17
Steps:
- Combine coconut milk, soy sauce and curry powder in a large saucepan. Set aside.
- Place pork (or beef), scallions, leek, cornstarch, flour, sesame oil, ginger, chile, salt and pepper in a large mixing bowl. Knead by hand until thoroughly combined and the mixture becomes sticky. Divide into 10 equal portions, about 1/4 cup each. Roll each portion into a ball.
- Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, swirling to coat the sides. Add the meatballs and cook, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels.
- Bring the coconut-milk mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs; cover, reduce heat to low and cook for 8 minutes.
- Line a serving bowl with lettuce leaves. Arrange the meatballs on top.
- Garnish with basil and lemon zest. Serve hot with the coconut-milk sauce drizzled over the top or on the side for dipping.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 156.8, Fat 12, SaturatedFat 3.9, Cholesterol 32.7, Sodium 277, Carbohydrate 3.7, Fiber 0.6, Sugar 0.3, Protein 8.2
LION'S HEAD MEATBALLS
Provided by Andrea Reusing
Categories dinner, project, main course
Time 2h
Yield Serves 6
Number Of Ingredients 19
Steps:
- Soak the dried mushrooms in 2 cups hot chicken stock until partially softened, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the pork, egg whites, 3 tablespoons shao xing, soy sauce, 2 tablespoons sugar, sesame oil, 2 teaspoons salt and pepper with a wooden spoon, mixing thoroughly for about 3 minutes. Stir in the scallions and minced ginger. Form the mixture into 12 large meatballs.
- In a deep, heavy pot, add 4 inches of vegetable oil. Heat over medium-high until it reaches 375 degrees. With a slotted spoon, gently lower 3 or 4 meatballs into the oil and fry for 3 to 4 minutes, until they are deep golden brown but still raw in the center. Drain on a paper towel and repeat with the remaining meatballs.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place a large, heavy casserole over low heat and add the soaked black mushrooms and their liquid, the remaining 4 cups chicken stock, the ginger threads, 6 tablespoons shao xing, wine, vinegar, sugar and 1½ teaspoons salt. Increase the heat to medium and bring to a low simmer. Cook, uncovered, 15-20 minutes, until the mushrooms have completely softened and the broth is fragrant.
- Add the meatballs and return the broth to a simmer. Cover the casserole and place it in the oven for about 20 minutes, or until the meatballs are just cooked through. Remove the casserole from the oven and increase the heat to 450. With a slotted spoon, remove the mushrooms and meatballs to a large plate or bowl.
- In a medium bowl, toss the shiitakes with 2 tablespoons vegetable oil and a generous amount of salt. Transfer to a baking sheet, tops facing up, and roast until golden brown, 7 to 8 minutes.
- When the black mushrooms are cool enough to handle, trim their stems with kitchen shears and discard. Dice the black mushroom caps into ½-inch cubes and return them to the casserole. Place the casserole over low heat, adjust the seasoning and, while stirring, gradually add the cornstarch-water mixture.
- Increase the heat to medium-high and lay the watercress into the simmering liquid, taking care to keep the stems facing the same direction and gently pushing down until the watercress is partially submerged. After a minute, as the watercress begins to wilt, use tongs to gently turn over. Cook another minute or so until just wilted. Remove from the heat.
- Arrange the watercress in warm shallow bows and distribute the meatballs and shiitakes on top. Divide the broth between the bowls, making sure to spoon some over the meatballs and shiitakes. Garnish with reserved scallions.
LION'S HEAD MEATBALLS IN SPICY COCONUT SAUCE
A nice Asian-style entree with an aromatic ginger/coconut sauce. These spicy meatballs are called "Lion's Head" because of their large size; thus the recipe calls for only 1 meatball per person (otherwise, serving amount can be reduced to 4 - two meatballs per person). Meatballs can be made a day ahead and kept refrigerated. Use...
Provided by Daily Inspiration S
Categories Pork
Time 45m
Number Of Ingredients 21
Steps:
- 1. To prepare sauce, combine first 6 ingredients in a saucepan; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce to lowest heat to keep warm.
- 2. To prepare meatballs, combine ground pork and next 9 ingredients (pork through salt) in a large bow and shape mixture into 8 meatballs.
- 3. Heat 1 tbsp. vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; cook 7 minutes, browning on all sides. Drain well.
- 4. Add meatballs to sauce, cover and simmer 8 minutes. Garnish with basil and rind.
LION'S HEAD MEATBALLS
Steps:
- Combine coconut milk, soy sauce, and curry powder in a large saucepan. Set aside. Place pork, scallions, leek, cornstarch, flour, seame oil, ginger, chile, salt and pepper in a large mixing bowl. Knead by hand until thoroughly combine and the mixture becomes sticky. Divide into 10 equal portions, about 1/4 c. each. Roll each portion into a ball. Heat olive oil Ina large skillet over medium heat, swirling to coat the sides. Add meatballs and cook, turning occasionally until browned on all sides, 8 - 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels. Bring coconut milk mixture to a boil over medium heat. Add meatballs, co Ed, reduce heat to low and cook for 8 minutes. Line serving bowl with lettuce leaves. Arrange the meatballs on top. Garnish with basil and lemon zest. Serve hot with the coconut milk sauce drizzled over the top or on the side for dipping.
Tips:
- Use high-quality pork: The quality of the pork will greatly affect the taste of the meatballs. Choose pork that is fresh and has a good amount of fat. This will help keep the meatballs moist and flavorful.
- Grind the pork yourself: If possible, grind the pork yourself using a meat grinder. This will give you more control over the texture of the meatballs and ensure that they are evenly ground.
- Soak the shiitake mushrooms: Before adding the shiitake mushrooms to the meatballs, soak them in hot water for at least 30 minutes. This will help soften them and release their flavor.
- Use a light touch when mixing the ingredients: Do not overmix the meatball mixture. Overmixing can make the meatballs tough.
- Cook the meatballs gently: Do not overcrowd the meatballs in the pot when cooking them. This will prevent them from cooking evenly. Simmer the meatballs gently in the broth until they are cooked through.
- Serve the meatballs hot: Lion's head meatballs are best served hot. They can be served over rice, noodles, or vegetables.
Conclusion:
Lion's head meatballs are a delicious and satisfying dish that is perfect for a special occasion. With a little planning and effort, you can easily make these meatballs at home. Just be sure to follow the tips above to ensure that your meatballs turn out perfect.
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