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

⏱ 110 min · Serves 4

Giant, cloud-soft pork meatballs, seared until burnished then slow-braised in a glossy caramel-soy sauce with Shaoxing wine and star anise. The classic Huaiyang showpiece: they collapse under a spoon and the sauce begs for rice.

Per serving: 628 kcal · 34.0g protein · 24.0g carbs · 43.0g fat

Ingredients

• 600g minced pork (about 25-30% fat, ideally hand-chopped shoulder)
• 100g water chestnuts, finely diced (or peeled tinned, drained)
• 4 spring onions, whites minced, greens cut into lengths
• 20g fresh ginger, half grated, half sliced
• 1 large egg
• 2 tbsp cornflour
• 120ml ice-cold water
• 2 tbsp Shaoxing wine, plus 3 tbsp for the braise
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce, plus 2 tbsp for the braise
• 1 tsp fine salt
• 1/2 tsp ground white pepper
• 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
• 3 tbsp neutral oil, for frying
• 30g rock sugar (or 1.5 tbsp caster sugar)
• 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
• 2 star anise
• 1 small piece cassia bark or 1/2 cinnamon stick
• 700ml hot chicken stock or water
• 1 head of Chinese leaf (napa cabbage), leaves separated and halved
• 1 tsp cornflour slaked in 2 tbsp water (optional)
• Steamed jasmine rice, to serve

Method

1. In a large bowl combine the pork, water chestnuts, spring onion whites, grated ginger, egg, 2 tbsp cornflour, 2 tbsp Shaoxing wine, 1 tbsp light soy, salt, white pepper and sesame oil.
2. Stir vigorously in one direction for 3-4 minutes, adding the ice water a splash at a time, until the mixture turns sticky, pale and springy. Chill 20 minutes.
3. With wet hands, divide into 4 large balls (about 180g each), tossing each between your palms 10 times to compact it. Keep them smooth and round.
4. Heat the neutral oil in a wide casserole over medium-high. Brown the meatballs gently on all sides, 5-6 minutes total, turning with two spoons so they hold together. Lift out.
5. Pour off all but 1 tbsp oil. Add the rock sugar and melt over medium heat until it turns amber, about 2 minutes, then add the sliced ginger, star anise and cassia and stir for 20 seconds.
6. Add the remaining 3 tbsp Shaoxing wine, 2 tbsp light soy and the dark soy, then pour in the hot stock. Bring to a simmer.
7. Line the pot with half the Chinese leaf, nestle in the meatballs, then tuck the rest of the cabbage around them. Cover and simmer very gently for 70 minutes, basting a couple of times. Do not let it boil hard.
8. Lift out meatballs and cabbage onto a warm dish. Reduce the sauce over high heat for 3-4 minutes until glossy; thicken with the cornflour slurry if you like.
9. Spoon the sauce over, scatter with spring onion greens and serve with steamed rice.