Lion's Head (Chinese Meatballs)
Also known as Four-Joy Meatballs, these are popular during holidays in China. These are typically larger meatballs that are deep fried, and this is a braised version, but these can be steamed or added in soups.
Ingredients
- 500 grams ground pork
- 4 water chestnuts, peeled, finely diced, optional
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon Chinese cooking wine
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
- 1 teaspoon spring onion, minced, white part only
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 2 tablespoons corn starch, or potato starch
- lettuce leaves, for serving
- cooking oil, for deep frying
For the Braising Sauce
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 cup water water, or pork or chicken broth
- 2 pieces whole star anise
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, mix together the salt, eggs, corn starch, ginger, and spring onion. Add the pork and using a large sturdy spoon, stir the pork in one direction until it absorbs the liquids and is sticky. This takes several minutes of stirring. Then add the water chestnut if using and mix that in as well.
- Pour about 4 cups of cooking oil into a medium sized deep pot and heat it to just before smoking then reduce heat to medium.
- While the oil is heating, form the meatballs, about 8 meatballs is the goal to achieve, form each ball about 2 or so inches in diameter. Squeeze together for a firm meatball.
- When the oil is hot, carefully using a slotted spoon, lower one meatball into the pot and cook for 2-3 minutes or until the meatballs are just starting to get browned, remove and set aside, continue cooking all remaining meatballs.
- Prepare another pot and add the Braising ingredients then add the meatballs and heat on a simmer for 20 minutes, if the liquid does cover the meatballs, use a spoon and scoop and pour the liquid from time to time over the meatballs.
- Lay some lettuce leaves in two serving bowls and divide the meatballs between the bowls, serve.
Notes
The pork is about 35 Baht/500 grams, for 2 servings, this is about 50 cents per serving.
Variant: You can fry the meatballs instead of deep frying but you will need to increase the cooking time.
This recipe for Lion's Head (Chinese Meatballs) is from China Sichuan Food.
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