Shanghai-nese “Lion’s Head” Meatballs
When I was a kid, my dad cooked just one thing: si zi tau (“lion’s head meatballs”), a homey Shanghainese dish of pork meatballs simmered with napa cabbage and glass noodles in a flavorful, gingery chicken broth and served with rice. As a kid, I’d watch him vigorously mix ground pork with egg whites, cornstarch, and water with his hands, part of the alchemy behind their signature tender, silky texture. I’d help him shape the large orbs (big, like a lion’s head) while he talked up the importance of refrigerating them before cooking and never, ever skipping the egg whites. He’d tell me that lion’s head meatballs reminded him of Shanghai and his mom’s cooking. At the time, they reminded me of “stinky lunch box” embarrassment—a typical tale of the first-generation American experience. Now they remind me of him.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground pork preferably 20% fat
- 2 Tbsp Shaoxing wine
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- 2 tsp chicken bouillon powder
- 1 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 1 tsp Chinese light soy sauce
- ½ tsp white sugar
- ¼ tsp ground white pepper
- 2 large egg whites
- 2 scallions minced
- 1×1-inch knob ginger peeled and finely grated on a Microplane
- 2 tsp water
TO FINISH
- About 4 cups Canola oil for shallow-frying
- 5 cups 2-inch pieces napa cabbage
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken stock
- 1 tsp Chinese light soy sauce
- 1 tsp Chinese oyster sauce
- ½ tsp white sugar
- ¼ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt plus more as needed
- ¼ tsp ground white pepper plus more as needed
- 2 slices peeled ginger
- 3 ounces dried bean threads (thin mung bean noodles)
- 2 Tbsp cornstarch
- 2 Tbsp water
Instructions
- Make the meatballs: In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients except the water and mix and squeeze the mixture by hand to distribute the ingredients well, about 1 minute. Add the water and continue to mix and squeeze until the mixture is smooth and homogenous, about 2 minutes more. Do not be gentle. This process emulsifies the mixture and helps give the cooked meatballs their distinctive texture. Don’t be alarmed by the looseness of the mixture. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, to let the mixture firm up, or up to 4 hours.
- To finish: Pour 1 inch of canola oil into a large wok or skillet and heat over high heat for 5 minutes. When the oil is ready, the end of a wooden chopstick or wooden spoon submerged in the oil will immediately release little bubbles.
- Using wet hands, scoop out about one-fifth of the mixture, shape into a meatball as best you can, and carefully add it to the oil. Repeat with the rest of the mixture, leaving a little space around each meatball. Cook, flipping once halfway through, until deeply browned all over, 5 to 6 minutes. As they’re done, use a slotted spoon or spider strainer to transfer to a 10-inch clay pot or 31/2- to 5-quart Dutch oven.
- Add the cabbage, chicken stock, light soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, salt, white pepper, and ginger. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to cook at a gentle simmer, covered, for 15 minutes. Add the noodles, stirring so they submerge in the liquid, and cook, uncovered and stirring, until the noodles are translucent and tender, 2 to 3 minutes more.
- In a small bowl, stir together the cornstarch and water until smooth. Bring the broth to a boil, then drizzle the cornstarch slurry directly into the broth, and simmer until the broth thickens slightly, about 1 minute. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve hot.
