Lion's Head : Steamed Pork Meatballs

The name is poetic and refers to the appearance of large pork meatballs on a cabbage looking like a lion's face and mane. 

Method

Combine minced pork with bread crumbs in a 2:1 ratio. Add chopped scallion, minced ginger, soy sauce, Szechuan pepper, salt and mix. Shape the meat into meatballs to your desired size. 

In a sauté pan, heat up oil and quickly sear the meatballs to brown the outsides. Keep them moving so they stay spherical. Set the meatballs aside and place a few leaves of napa cabbage to cover the bottom. Put the browned meatballs on top and add enough water or stock to cover the leaves. Put the lid on and let the liquid reduce down and steam the meatballs.

Notes

The meatballs will cook mostly during the steaming process. The napa cabbage braises in the pan sauce and will become very soft and flavorful. You can substitute napa cabbage with cabbage, but it won't be as soft or absorb as much flavor. Napa also goes superbly with pork as any dumpling lover will tell you.

Be sure to use unflavored bread crumbs, preferably homemade. In China, they use such things like chopped Chinese steamed bread (mantou), chopped boiled potato, or chopped water chestnut. I blended up some dried leftover homemade no knead bread because it was easy and available (my wife made some). It also gives the meatballs a soft texture and tastes delicious.

Lion head meatballs can also be cooked in soup instead of steaming atop napa cabbage.