Red-Braised Lion's Head Meatballs (Hong Shao Shizitou)

Method

1. Thinly slice half the ginger and cut half the spring onions into short lengths. Put them in the water and squeeze them with your fingers for a minute so the water turns fragrant, then leave it to soak while you prep. Finely chop the water chestnuts to the size of rice grains. Cut the napa cabbage into 5 cm pieces, keeping the thick white stems separate from the leafy tops. Slice the remaining ginger and cut the remaining spring onions into 4 cm lengths for the braise.

   Add in this stepFresh ginger 5 gSpring onions 1Water (for the ginger-scallion water) 40 ml

2. Put the pork in a large bowl with the salt, sugar, white pepper and one third of the light soy sauce and Shaoxing wine. Stir hard in one direction with chopsticks. Strain the ginger-scallion water and add it in 3 additions, stirring until each is fully absorbed before adding more. Add the egg, cornflour and water chestnuts and keep stirring in the same direction for 3 min, until the mixture is sticky and pulls away in strands.

   Add in this stepMinced pork (about 30% fat) 320 gSalt ½ tspSugar 1 tspGround white pepper 1 pinchLight soy sauce 1 tbspShaoxing rice wine 1 tbspEgg, beaten (use the amount shown) ½Cornflour (for the meat) 3 tspWater chestnuts (canned or fresh), finely chopped 40 g

3. Wet your hands with cold water and shape the mixture into large balls of about 180 g (2 in total). Toss each ball from one hand to the other 15 to 20 times, slapping it lightly into your palm: this pushes out the air so the meatballs stay round and don't crack while braising. Set them on a plate.

4. Heat the oil in a 24 cm frying pan over medium heat to about 170 °C; a wooden chopstick dipped in should give off a steady stream of small bubbles. Using a large spoon, lower in the meatballs, sliding them away from you so the oil doesn't splash towards you. Fry for 6 min, turning gently every 1 to 2 minutes, until a golden crust forms all over. They are still raw inside; the crust only holds their shape. Keep a lid nearby and never let water drip into the hot oil.

   Add in this stepNeutral oil (for frying) 4 tbsp

   medium heat

5. Put 1 tbsp of the frying oil into a 18 cm heavy pot with a lid and set it over high heat. Fry the ginger slices and spring onion lengths for 30 seconds until fragrant, then add the remaining Shaoxing wine and light soy sauce, the dark soy sauce, rock sugar and hot water and bring to the boil. Lower in the meatballs, turn the heat down to low heat, cover and simmer for 40 min, turning them once halfway. The liquid should only tremble gently.

   Add in this stepFresh ginger 5 gSpring onions 1Light soy sauce 2 tbspShaoxing rice wine 2 tbspDark soy sauce 1 tbspRock sugar (or white sugar) 15 gHot water 450 ml

   high heat→low heat

6. Tuck the cabbage stems around and under the meatballs, lay the leaves on top and press them down into the liquid. Cover and cook over medium heat for 10 min, until the stems are soft and translucent. Cut one meatball open to check: there should be no pink and the juices should run clear (at least 71 °C in the centre).

   Add in this stepNapa cabbage (Chinese leaf) 300 g

   medium heat

7. Lift the meatballs and cabbage into a deep serving dish. Boil the sauce over high heat for 2 min until reduced by about a third. Stir the cornflour into the cold water, pour it in while stirring, and within 30 seconds the sauce turns thick and glossy. Taste, pour it over the meatballs and serve with steamed rice.

   Add in this stepCornflour (for thickening) 1 tspCold water (for the slurry) 1 tbsp

   high heat