Lions Head Meatballs

Shanghai, Baby.
Tonight we went to Shanghai and noshed on a New Years tradition, Lion's head meatballs. It's essentially oversized pork meatballs with bok choy or cabbage to resemble the lion's mane. This is a dish that is deeply symbolic, because in China, lions stand for power and strength, while the oversized meatballs symbolize the coming together of the whole family.

The labor involved in preparing was about an hour and a half from start to finish. I now know why the women in Asia have no weight concerns...they are standing in the kitchen for way too long! China is a little labor intensive...I wonder if I can count the hour into my activity minutes for Live Healthy Iowa...:)

It's funny, the coming together as a whole family thing. Sounds great on paper! Maybe that's why it's popular during the New Year celebration, kind of like our holidays in America when family finally pauses and are together, really together. Our together this evening was this..I drove Elie and Katy to church. I drove Hannah to swim practice. I drove to pick up Elie and Katy from church to take them home. I drove Elie to swim practice and went to the store. I drove home. Taxi Driver with no tips...I should go on strike!

After hanging up my taxi hat, I put on the chefs hat and began to prepare the Lion's Head Meatballs. What a pleasantly surprising finish.  I served Elie two meatballs and plain white rice. She tried 3/4 of one meatball and decided she couldn't deal with the texture any longer. She DID like the flavor so I'm counting that as a win! Hannah, Andy and I enjoyed ours soup-style. I added rice at the bottom of bowl and added the meatballs and bok choy. Then poured the broth from what the meal simmered in.

It was like eating a pot sticker without the "sticker".

Lion's Head Meatballs

Ingredients:

1 pound bok choy, Peking cabbage (Napa cabbage), or spinach leaves 

1 – 2 green onions (spring onions, scallions), minced 

1 tsp. minced ginger 

1 large egg

1 pound ground pork 

1/4 tsp. salt 

1 tsp. granulated sugar 

2 1/2 tsp. pale dry sherry 

3 Tbl. light soy sauce, divided 

1/2 tsp. Asian sesame oil 

Black or white pepper, to taste, optional 

2 - 3 Tbl. cornstarch or flour 2 Tbl. vegetable oil 1 1/2 cups chicken broth

Preparation:

1. Wash and drain the bok choy or other greens. Cut crosswise into 3 inch strips. Mince the ginger and green onion. 

2. In a small bowl, beat the egg with a fork. In a medium bowl, combine the ground pork with the green onion, ginger, salt, sugar, dry sherry, 1 Tbl. soy sauce, Asian sesame oil, pepper if using, and the egg, using your fingers to mix together the ingredients thoroughly. Add as much cornstarch as needed to make so that the mixture is not too wet. (I start with 2 tablespoons and then add 1 teaspoon at a time). 

3. Form the ground pork into 4 large meatballs.If you like, instead of 4 large meatballs you can form the pork into 6 - 8 smaller meatballs.  Flatten them a bit so that they are not completely round. 

4. Heat 2 Tbl. oil in a skillet or wok on medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the meatballs. Cook for 5 minutes until browned on the bottom. Turn and cook the other side (adjust the heat if the meatballs are cooking too quickly). 

5. In a dutch oven or large pot, heat the chicken broth and 2 Tbl. soy sauce to boiling. 

6. Add the meatballs, reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes. Add the bok choy. (You can arrange the bok choy on top of the meatballs so that it steams, or lay some right in the broth if there is room). Simmer for another 15 minutes or until the meatballs are cooked through and there is no pinkness in the middle.

To serve Lion's Head Meatballs, serve each meatball on a small plate surrounding by the greens, or in soup bowls with some of the bok choy and broth. You can also thicken some of the broth with a cornstarch and water thickener and pour over the meatballs.