Braised Lion's Head Meatballs

Name: Braised Lion's Head Meatballs
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 50 g winter bamboo shoots (sliced); 20 g rehydrated wood ear mushrooms (trimmed and washed); 20 g soy sauce; 15 g cooking wine; 3 g vinegar; 8 g salt; 3 g MSG; 3 g sugar; 180 g oil (150 g for frying the meatballs, 30 g for stir-frying); 10 g scallions (cut into segments); 10 g ginger (sliced or in pieces); 3 g starch (dissolved in water as a slurry); to taste lion's head meatballs (homemade, prepared in advance); 300 g water (for braising)

Hong Shao Lion's Head is a classic Hu (Shanghai) cuisine dish, featuring meatballs as the core ingredient that are deep-fried before being braised in a savory red sauce, paired with winter bamboo shoots and wood ear mushrooms for a tender, fluffy texture and rich, robust flavor.

30 min

Easy

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Ingredients

winter bamboo shoots (sliced) 50 g

rehydrated wood ear mushrooms (trimmed and washed) 20 g

soy sauce 20 g

cooking wine 15 g

vinegar 3 g

salt 8 g

MSG 3 g

sugar 3 g

oil (150 g for frying the meatballs, 30 g for stir-frying) 180 g

scallions (cut into segments) 10 g

ginger (sliced or in pieces) 10 g

starch (dissolved in water as a slurry) 3 g

lion's head meatballs (homemade, prepared in advance) to taste

water (for braising) 300 g

Instructions

Prepare the ingredients

Slice the winter bamboo shoots, trim and wash the rehydrated wood ear mushrooms, and dissolve the starch in water for later use.

Fry the meatballs

Place a wok over heat, add 150 g of oil, and heat to about 80% hot. Add the prepared lion's head meatballs and fry until browned on the surface. Remove and drain off the excess oil.

Braise and thicken the sauce

Place the wok back over heat, add 30 g of oil, and add the scallion segments and ginger pieces to release their aroma. Add the lion's head meatballs, then pour in the soy sauce, cooking wine, and 300 g of water. Add the salt, vinegar, and MSG, then add the winter bamboo shoot slices and wood ear mushrooms. Braise for about 5 minutes, stir in the starch slurry, and reduce the sauce until thickened. Transfer to a plate and serve.