Lionhead Meatball Soup Food

LION'S HEAD MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Pour boiling water over shiitake mushrooms, and let sit until soft enough to slice, about 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, combine chestnuts and tofu in a large bowl. Add ground pork, green onions, garlic, and ginger. Pour in rice wine, soy sauce, salt, cayenne, brown sugar, and egg. Dust with cornstarch. Mix with a clean hand until thoroughly combined. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
• Form mixture into 6 large meatballs with wet hands.
• Set an oven rack about 8 inches from the heat source and preheat the oven's broiler. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and oil lightly. Place meatballs on the prepared baking sheet.
• Broil in the preheated oven until browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool while prepping the pot.
• Trim off the bottom of the head of cabbage and slice 1/2 of the head. Arrange sliced cabbage on the bottom of a large soup pot or Dutch oven. Arrange the remaining leaves on the top. Slice and scatter the mushrooms on top of the cabbage; reserve shiitake liquid. Nestle the meatballs into the cabbage leaves and pour juices over.
• Strain reserved shiitake liquid into a bowl. Add chicken broth, soy sauce, sherry, sesame oil, brown sugar, and cornstarch. Whisk until dissolved. Add to the pot, pouring over each meatball. Bring to a boil over high heat.
• Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for 20 minutes. Uncover and raise heat to medium-high. Continue cooking, basting the meatballs often, until liquid reduces slightly and meatballs are no longer pink in the centers, about 10 minutes. Taste for seasoning.
• Ladle into serving bowls and arrange cabbage over the meatballs. Top with green onions and chili oil.

LION HEAD MEATBALLS

Steps:

• For the meatballs:
• Put the ground beef, rice wine, garlic, spring onions, egg, ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil, cornstarch, salt, and white pepper into a large bowl to combine, stirring in the same direction.
• Using wet hands, scoop a large mound of the ground meat mixture, and mold it into a ball. The size should be a little larger than a golf ball. Transfer the meatball to a plate and repeat with the remaining mixture.
• For the assembly:
• Pour the groundnut oil into a large deep pan, and heat over a high heat. Using a metal ladle, carefully lower each meatball into the oil, and spoon some of the oil over the meatballs. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, or until browned.
• Pour all but 2 tablespoons of oil into a heat-proof bowl. Add the vegetable stock to the pan. Arrange the quarters of Chinese cabbage around the meatballs, curving them lengthwise around the sides of the pan, then add the mushrooms, and soy sauce. Bring everything to a boil. Cover the pan, reduce its heat, and cook gently for 15 minutes. Add the blended cornstarch slurry, if using, and stir until the sauce thickens.
• Remove the pan from the heat, and season with salt, and white pepper, to taste, and sprinkle over the spring onion slices. Transfer the dish to a warm serving platter, and serve immediately.
• Heat a pan, add the rice and water, cover, and cook over high heat for 15 minutes.
• Reduce the heat to very low, and cook for an additional 3 minutes, making sure all the water has evaporated. Remove from the heat and, using a spatula, fluff the rice. It is now ready to serve.

LION'S HEAD MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Soak the dried mushrooms in 2 cups hot chicken stock until partially softened, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the pork, egg whites, 3 tablespoons shao xing, soy sauce, 2 tablespoons sugar, sesame oil, 2 teaspoons salt and pepper with a wooden spoon, mixing thoroughly for about 3 minutes. Stir in the scallions and minced ginger. Form the mixture into 12 large meatballs.
• In a deep, heavy pot, add 4 inches of vegetable oil. Heat over medium-high until it reaches 375 degrees. With a slotted spoon, gently lower 3 or 4 meatballs into the oil and fry for 3 to 4 minutes, until they are deep golden brown but still raw in the center. Drain on a paper towel and repeat with the remaining meatballs.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place a large, heavy casserole over low heat and add the soaked black mushrooms and their liquid, the remaining 4 cups chicken stock, the ginger threads, 6 tablespoons shao xing, wine, vinegar, sugar and 1½ teaspoons salt. Increase the heat to medium and bring to a low simmer. Cook, uncovered, 15-20 minutes, until the mushrooms have completely softened and the broth is fragrant.
• Add the meatballs and return the broth to a simmer. Cover the casserole and place it in the oven for about 20 minutes, or until the meatballs are just cooked through. Remove the casserole from the oven and increase the heat to 450. With a slotted spoon, remove the mushrooms and meatballs to a large plate or bowl.
• In a medium bowl, toss the shiitakes with 2 tablespoons vegetable oil and a generous amount of salt. Transfer to a baking sheet, tops facing up, and roast until golden brown, 7 to 8 minutes.
• When the black mushrooms are cool enough to handle, trim their stems with kitchen shears and discard. Dice the black mushroom caps into ½-inch cubes and return them to the casserole. Place the casserole over low heat, adjust the seasoning and, while stirring, gradually add the cornstarch-water mixture.
• Increase the heat to medium-high and lay the watercress into the simmering liquid, taking care to keep the stems facing the same direction and gently pushing down until the watercress is partially submerged. After a minute, as the watercress begins to wilt, use tongs to gently turn over. Cook another minute or so until just wilted. Remove from the heat.
• Arrange the watercress in warm shallow bows and distribute the meatballs and shiitakes on top. Divide the broth between the bowls, making sure to spoon some over the meatballs and shiitakes. Garnish with reserved scallions.