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獅子頭 | Lion’s Head Meatballs

Lion’s Head Meatballs (獅子頭) is a classic Chinese dish featuring large, tender pork meatballs slowly braised with napa cabbage in a flavorful soy-based broth. The meatballs are soft, juicy, and melt-in-your-mouth, symbolizing prosperity and strength in traditional Chinese cuisine
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Course: dinner, Main Course
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Meatball Ingredients:
  • 600 g Ground Pork
  • 200 g soft Tofu
  • 2 teaspoons corn starch
  • 2 tablespoons Chinese wine
  • 2 teaspoons chicken powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon soy sauce
  • ½ teaspoon sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon white pepper
  • 1 egg
Ginger water:
  • 2 stems of scallion chopped fine
  • 30 g fresh ginger skinned and cut into chunks
  • ½ cup of water
For the Soup:
  • 6 cups Chicken bone broth or stock
  • 2 slices of ginger
  • 1 teaspoon of white pepper
  • 2 tablespoons of Chinese wine
  • 1 teaspoon of soy sauce to taste
  • 1 lb whole napa cabbage or any white cabbage

Equipment

  • Mixing Bowl
  • Knife
  • Cutting board
  • Large frying pan or wok
  • Saucepan or clay pot (for braising)
  • Wooden spoon or spatula
  • Measuring spoons
  • Ladle

Instructions
 

  1. In a large mixing bowl, combine all meatball ingredients.
  2. Using your hands, squeeze and mix the ingredients together. Then, in a fast circular motion, emulsify all the tofu and spices together to form a pale pink dough-like consistency. The meat will feel like a paste and will not separate. This process will take about (5 minutes). Use some strength and go crazy. You can also use a blender for this process. Blend until the mixture turns paste-like.
  3. In a blender, add the ginger water ingredients and blend on high until the ginger is incorporated into the water. Drain and squeeze the ginger water into a bowl. Reserve the ginger and spring onion pulp for chili crisp.
  4. In two seperate times, add 3 tablespoons of ginger water to the paste. The paste will slowly absorb all the liquid to be like and fluffy.
  5. Refrigerate and let the paste rest for 20minutes to 1 hour.
  6. Prepare a large pot of boiling water (2L) and add 1 tablespoon of salt.
  7. Wet your hands, cupping your palm, place 80g of meat paste in one palm. With a back-and-forth motion, toss the paste from right to left land to shape it into a sphere. Drop the ball immediately into the boiling water to set for 5 minutes. It should look like an oversized golf ball.
  8. Remove meatballs from boiling water after 5 minutes. Drain and pat dry
  9. Place the meatball into the air fryer, spray with oil, and air fry for 15 minutes at 200 °C until lightly golden. (You can also pan fry if you like, but this is easier)
  10. Cut the Napa Cabbage into two sections. Don't cut it too small, as it will melt and disappear into your soup.
  11. In a large pot, except for the cabbage, add soup ingredients and remaining ginger water. Add the meatball and its juice to the soup. Bring it to a boil, then reduce to the lowest heat for a slow simmer, covered. Cook for 30minutes.
  12. Add the cabbage and continue cooking on low heat, uncovered, for another 15 minutes, until the cabbage is soft and the meatball is tender.
  13. There should be enough liquid for a broth to go with the meatball, if it's too dry, add more water while you cook.
  14. In a small bowl, serve each guest with one meatball and some cabbage and broth. You can add noodles at the end or enjoy it with a bowl of hot steamed jasmine rice.
  15. This is kind of like matzuball soup, and it's so comforting, be prepared for seconds.

Macros

Serving Calories Protein (g) Carbs (g) Fat (g)
2 Meatballs (80g each) 350 27 3 26