Braised Lion's Head recipe(Shi Zi Tou）

Braised Lion's Head, also known as Four Happiness Meatballs, is a famous dish from Huaiyang, China. This dish features a rich sauce and meatballs with a combination of lean and fatty pork, which are glossy and red in color. Paired with vibrant green vegetables, it not only boasts a delicious flavor but also symbolizes auspicious meanings of good fortune and prosperity.

In the vast universe of culinary delights, there are always a few dishes that, after millennia, still maintain their unique charm. Today, let's step into one of these ancient culinary treasures together — Braised Lion's Head. Let's experience the flavors from deep within history and explore the cooking secrets hidden behind it.

1.Regarding Braised Lion's Head:

Braised Lion's Head, a traditional Chinese dish with a long history, originated in Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province, China. Yangzhou, known as one of China's historical and cultural cities, is renowned for its beauty, often referred to as "Yangzhou in March with blooming flowers." Braised Lion's Head is a representative delicacy of this city.

The name "Braised Lion's Head" originates from its unique shape, which resembles the head of a lion, hence the name. Lions symbolize authority, dignity, and strength in traditional Chinese culture. Naming this dish "Lion's Head" also conveys the auspicious wishes for family reunion and prosperous careers.

The process of making Braised Lion's Head is relatively complex. It involves selecting high-quality pork, chopping it into minced meat, mixing it with seasonings, and incorporating ingredients like water chestnuts and shiitake mushrooms to form medium-sized meatballs. Next, these meatballs are deep-fried until golden brown, then set aside. Finally, the fried meatballs are stewed together with a specially prepared braising sauce until the meat is tender and the sauce is rich and flavorful.

2.What main ingredients are needed:

Pork: The primary ingredient for making braised lion's head meatballs is ground pork. To prepare this delicious home-cooked dish, start by chopping the pork into ground meat and then shaping it into meatballs.

Water chestnut: Water chestnut is a shallow-water perennial herbaceous plant belonging to the sedge family. It's also known as "horse hoof," "ground chestnut," and "black taro," among other names. Water chestnut is rich in nutritional value. It can be eaten raw, cooked, stir-fried, or used as a filling in various dishes.

3.How to prepare the ground pork:

Prepare the ingredients: You can choose pork shoulder and cut it into chunks.

Chopping the pork: Chop the diced pork into ground meat with a knife, aiming for a coarse texture rather than finely minced, to maintain some graininess. If you find chopping tedious, you can use a meat grinder at home to process the diced pork into ground meat directly.

Adding seasonings: Add chopped scallions, ginger, cooking wine, salt, and pepper to the ground meat mixture. Stir in one direction to give the lion's head meatballs a firm texture if you prefer a chewy consistency. If you prefer a softer texture, simply mix until well combined.

Thickening: Next, add starch to the mixture and stir. This step is to increase the viscosity of the filling, making it easier to shape into meatballs.

4.Preparing water chestnuts:

Prepare the water chestnuts: First, peel and clean the water chestnuts thoroughly.

Cutting water chestnuts: Slice the water chestnuts thinly, then julienne them into fine strips, and finally dice them into small cubes. Chop them finely to ensure they blend well into the meat mixture.

5.Handling the meatballs:

For braised lion's head meatballs, they are typically fried before being simmered. Frying them first crisps up the outer layer of the meatballs, sealing in the juices and helping to maintain their shape during subsequent cooking. This process also allows the meatballs to better absorb the flavors when braising.

6.How long does braised lion's head usually cook:

Braised lion's head meatballs are generally simmered for 40 to 50 minutes. After frying, place the meatballs into a pot of prepared broth or sauce, simmer over low heat for 40 to 50 minutes. This ensures that the meatballs absorb the flavors of the sauce thoroughly.

At a family feast, one of the dishes is braised lion's head meatballs, known for their rich red color symbolizing wealth and reunion. Once served, it adds grandeur to the table and is exceptionally delicious, perfect for accompanying rice or wine. Below, I'll detail the specific steps involved in its preparation.