Crab Roe Lion's Head Meatballs
A staple of Huaiyang cuisine, these lion’s head meatballs are made primarily with pork rib meat, combined with crab roe and crab meat, then slow-braised in a clay pot over low heat.
Ingredients
Pork rib meat (cut into pomegranate-seed-sized pieces)
800 g
Crab roe (to dot on the meatballs)
50 g
Crab meat
125 g
Baby bok choy hearts (washed and blanched)
200 g
Dried shrimp roe
1 g
Clear soup (or meat broth)
500 g
Scallions
to taste
Ginger juice
to taste
Salt
to taste
Shaoxing wine
to taste
Starch (for binding until sticky)
to taste
Cabbage leaves (for covering)
to taste
Instructions
1
Chop the meat
Chop the pork into small pomegranate-seed-sized pieces.
2
Mix
Place the chopped pork in a bowl. Add scallions, ginger juice, crab meat, dried shrimp roe, salt, Shaoxing wine, and starch. Stir vigorously in one direction until the mixture becomes sticky and cohesive.
3
Arrange the pot
Wash the baby bok choy hearts and blanch them briefly in hot oil. Arrange them neatly in a clay pot, pour in the meat broth, and bring to a boil.
4
Braise
Form the seasoned meat mixture into large round meatballs and place them on top of the bok choy hearts. Dot the top of each meatball with crab roe, cover with cabbage leaves, place the lid on the clay pot, and braise over low heat for 2 hours until done.
