Yangzhou Clear-Stewed Lion's Head (Qing Dun Shizitou)

Method

1. Thinly slice half the ginger, cut half the spring onions into short lengths, put them in the water and squeeze for a minute to make ginger-scallion water. Soak the dried shiitake in warm water for 30 minutes, squeeze dry, remove the stems and slice thinly. Put the pork in the freezer for 15 minutes so it firms up and is easier to cut. Slice the remaining ginger and cut the remaining spring onions into 4 cm lengths.

   Add in this stepFresh ginger 5 gSpring onions 1Water (for the ginger-scallion water) 60 mlDried shiitake mushrooms 2

2. Cut the shoulder and belly into 5 mm strips, then into 5 mm dice (the belly a little finer). Chop the two together with a heavy knife for 7 min, stopping while the meat still looks like coarse pomegranate seeds. If it turns into a smooth paste, you lose the loose, delicate texture that makes this dish special.

   Add in this stepPork shoulder (neck end) 200 gSkinless pork belly 120 g

3. Put the chopped meat in a bowl with the salt, white pepper and Shaoxing wine and stir in one direction. Strain the ginger-scallion water and add it in 3 additions, stirring until each is absorbed, then add the egg white and cornflour and stir for 3 min more until the mixture binds. Cover and refrigerate for 30 min: the chilled fat firms up, so the very soft balls hold their shape.

   Add in this stepSalt ½ tspGround white pepper 1 pinchShaoxing rice wine 3 tspEgg white 1Cornflour 2 tsp

4. Line the bottom of a clay pot or 18 cm heavy pot with half the cabbage leaves, scatter over the shiitake, ginger slices and spring onion, and pour in the chicken stock. Warm it over medium heat until small bubbles appear around the edge; don't let it boil hard.

   Add in this stepLow-salt chicken stock 600 mlNapa cabbage inner leaves 120 gFresh ginger 5 gSpring onions 1

   medium heat

5. Wet your hands with cold water and shape the mixture into large balls (2 in total). This mixture is soft and wet, so just roll each one gently between your palms 5 or 6 times. Slide them one by one into the stock from a wet spoon and keep the pot over medium-low heat; the outside sets within a minute. Cover with the rest of the cabbage leaves like a blanket so the tops stay moist.

   Add in this stepNapa cabbage inner leaves 120 g

   medium-low heat

6. Put on the lid and stew over low heat for 1 h 30 min. Only a few tiny bubbles should rise now and then; hard boiling breaks the meatballs and clouds the broth. If the broth drops below halfway up the meatballs, top up with a little hot water.

   low heat

7. Lift off the cabbage blanket (it can be served too), add the halved pak choi and simmer over medium heat for 2 min until bright green. Taste the broth and season with salt. Cut one meatball open to check it is cooked through with no pink (at least 71 °C in the centre), then serve one meatball per bowl with plenty of clear broth.

   Add in this stepBaby pak choi 2Salt (to finish) to taste

   medium heat