Chinese Lions Head Soup Food

CHINESE LION'S HEAD SOUP

Steps:

• Mix the ground pork, egg, cornstarch, 2 teaspoons of sesame oil, ginger, monosodium glutamate, salt, and half of the chopped green onions together in a bowl. Use your hands to mix until the ingredients are evenly distributed. Set aside.
• Heat the vegetable oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat. When the oil is hot, fry the napa cabbage, stirring constantly, until cabbage begins to wilt, 2 to 3 minutes. Pour in the chicken broth, water, and soy sauce. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to medium.
• Use a spoon to form the meat mixture into 1 inch balls. Drop them into the boiling soup. When the last ball has been added, cover with a lid and simmer for 10 minutes. Taste, and adjust salt before serving. Garnish with remaining green onions and a drizzle of sesame oil.

LION'S HEAD STEW

Steps:

• Preheat an oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, mix the pork with the ginger-scallion water, eggs and season. Throw the pork in a bowl 10 times to compact the meat together. Preheat a large skillet and coat with oil. Make 8 large meatballs and coat with cornstarch. Only brown the meatballs on all sides. Do not cook them through, then drain on paper towels. Place sliced cabbage in the clay pot and top with meatballs. Mix sugar with soy sauces to dissolve and add to pot. Add peel, mushrooms and stock. Check for seasoning. (The flavor of the broth will eventually be the flavor of the meatballs/cabbage, season well.) Top the meatballs with the whole cabbage leaves and cover. Place in the oven and braise for 3 hours.
• PLATING Serve the clay pot family style with small bowls of steamed rice.

LION'S HEAD

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, mix the pork, soy sauce and 1 tablespoon cornstarch with a chopstick. Form into large meatballs. On a small plate, sprinkle the remaining 1 tablespoon cornstarch and roll the meatballs in the cornstarch.
• In a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat, add the vegetable oil. Brown the meatballs in hot wok until deep golden brown. Remove from the wok. Drain on paper towels and keep warm.
• Wipe the wok or skillet clean with a paper towel. Return the wok to high heat and cook cabbage until just wilted.
• Place the cooked cabbage on the bottom of a large soup pot or casserole dish. Add the meatballs and broth. Cover and simmer until meatballs are cooked through, about 6 to 7 minutes. Stir and serve warm.

LION'S HEAD CASSEROLE (SHIH TZU TOU)

Steps:

• Cover mushrooms with boiling-hot water (2 cups) in a bowl and let stand 30 minutes, then squeeze excess water from mushrooms and reserve 1 cup mushroom-soaking liquid (discard remainder or reserve for another use). Discard mushroom stems and cut caps into very thin slices.
• Meanwhile, mix together pork, scallions, water chestnuts, rice wine, sesame oil, sugar, 1 tablespoon ginger, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large bowl with your hands. Gather together pork mixture and throw against bottom or side of bowl 5 or 6 times to firm texture, then chill, covered, until ready to use.
• Remove and reserve 4 large cabbage leaves. Halve cabbage head lengthwise, then cut out and discard core. Cut cabbage halves crosswise into 2-inch-wide pieces.
• Heat wok over high heat until a drop of water evaporates instantly. Swirl 2 tablespoons peanut oil to coat bottom and sides of wok, then stir-fry mushrooms, half of cabbage, and remaining tablespoon ginger until cabbage begins to wilt, 1 to 2 minutes. Add remaining cabbage and 3/4 teaspoon salt and stir-fry until all of cabbage has begun to wilt, about 3 minutes. Add reserved soaking liquid (1 cup) and continue stir-frying until cabbage is wilted, about 3 minutes. Transfer mixture to a 4-quart clay pot or a 4- to 5-quart heavy pot, arranging evenly on bottom. Wipe wok clean with paper towels.
• Stir together cornstarch, pepper, and remaining tablespoon soy sauce in a small bowl until smooth.
• Divide pork mixture into quarters, then coat your hands with some of cornstarch mixture. Form 4 large meatballs, transferring each as formed to a large plate and then recoating your hands.
• Heat wok over high heat until a drop of water evaporates instantly, then pour in remaining peanut oil (enough to measure a scant 1/4 inch in wok). Reduce heat to moderately high and gently arrange meatballs in wok. Fry meatballs, turning gently with tongs or a slotted spoon, until deep golden on all sides, about 5 minutes total (if meatballs stick to wok, add more oil). Transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain, then arrange on top of cabbage in pot. Add broth, then cover meatballs completely with reserved 4 cabbage leaves. Bring liquid just to a boil, then reduce heat and gently simmer, covered, 1 hour. (Check occasionally to be sure liquid is not boiling vigorously.) Season broth with salt, then move large cabbage leaves around side of pot to resemble a lion's mane. Serve in individual shallow bowls.

LION'S HEAD CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Fill a big pot with chicken stock, add water and bring to low boil and simmer.
• Add the cabbage.
• While you get that going, start making the meatballs.
• Squeeze out excess water from the mushrooms, mince and set aside, make sure to save the soaking water to add flavor to the soup later!
• Mix the ground pork with the egg, minced mushrooms, oyster sauce, tofu, salt, pepper, ginger, green onions, cornstarch, and 2 Tbs soy sauce, 2 tsp cooking wine, plus minced dried shrimp if using. (make sure you mince it finely before adding).
• Mix throughly, using a spoon to help, make meatballs and place into pot on top of the cabbage. Add brown sugar and left over 2 Tbs soy sauce to soup. Cover and simmer for 2-3 hours or longer for tender meatballs. Before serving taste and adjust seasonings of soup by adding more salt or soy sauce or pepper.

CHINESE LION'S HEAD SOUP

Steps:

• 1. Mix the ground pork, egg cornstarch sesame oil, ginger soy sauce, garlic and the white parts of the green onions. Set aside.
• 2. Heat the oil in a large skillet and saute the cabbage until wilted. Pour in the chicken stock and soy sauce. Bring to a boil.
• 3. Spoon the pork mixture in large balls into the boiling soup. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Serve garnished with cilantro and green parts of scallions.

LIONS HEAD SOUP

Steps:

• In a skillet over medium to high heat fry the bacon bits and set aside.
• Combine meatball seasonings and egg white in a bowl and add the meat. Stir with hands and throw into sides of bowl to thoroughly blend. Set aside.
• Heat wok over medium high heat and add 3 tablespoons of the bacon drippings and swirl around to coat the wok.
• Reserve 3 large leaves of the cabbage and coarsely chop the thick core, keeping the core and leaves separate. Shred the remaining leaves into wide long strips.
• Add the thick cabbage core pieces into the wok and stir fry for 1 minute. Add the shredded cabbage leaves and continue to stir fry for an additional 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper and add ¼ cup of sherry, continuing to stir fry for 30 more seconds.
• Remove cabbage to a large soup pot. Add the chicken stock or broth and the bacon bits. Also, chop 3 scallions (white & green parts) and finely chop and add to soup pot.
• Combine all ingredients for the glaze in a small bowl.
• Form meatballs using 2 tablespoons of meat. Glaze each meatball in glaze and pan fry until golden on all sides.
• Place the meatballs on top of cabbage and cover the meatballs with the 3 reserved leaves. Bring pot to a boil. Add 1 tablespoon of sesame oil and 1 tablespoon soy sauce and cover the pot and reduce heat to a low simmer and cook for 1 hour.
• To serve, place some cabbage into a bowl, with a meatball or two in the center, then adding the soup. Garnish with some additional finely chopped scallions.