Lion's head
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Lion's head (Traditional Chinese: 獅子頭; Simplified Chinese: 狮子头; pinyin: shīzi tóu) is a Huaiyang dish consisting of large meatballs (about 7-10cm in diameter) stewed with vegetables. There are two varieties: the white (or plain), and the red (cooked with soy sauce). The plain variety is usually stewed or steamed with napa cabbage. The red variety can be stewed with cabbage or cooked with bamboo shoots and tofu derivatives.
The name derives from the shape of the cabbage, which together with the meatball resemble a lion's head.
The dish originated from the region of Yangzhou and Zhenjiang in Jiangsu province, with the plain variety more common in Yangzhou and the red variety more common in Zhenjiang. The dish became a part of Shanghai cuisine with the influx of migrants in the 19th and early 20th Century.
In Northern China, especially in Beijing, the dish is known as "Sixi Wanzi" ("Four Happy Balls") because the meatballs are usually served in a set of four. These meatballs tend to be smaller than the Southern variety.
[edit] Recipe
The following is a rough outline for creating red (soy sauce flavoured) Lion's head. Consult Chinese cookbooks for detailed instructions.
- Dice scallions and water chestnuts.
- Mix ground pork with the scallions, water chestnuts, soy sauce, cracker pieces, and one's choice of either egg yolk and white or cornstarch.
- Grab a handful of the mixture. Shape it as a jumbo meatball. Throw the meatball between one's hands several times.
- Coat the outside of the meatball with one's choice of either egg yolk and white or cornstarch.
- Semi-deep fry the meatball until the entire meatball is golden brown.
- Fry additional meatballs as needed.
- Wrap the meatballs in a cabbage leaf, then put the meatballs with more napa cabbage and soup stock into a pot. Set the pot to boil and then simmer for one hour.
