Kitchen Recipe Collection
Lion's Head Meatballs (Shi Zi Tou)
Giant, impossibly tender and fluffy pork meatballs braised slowly with Napa cabbage. The bumpy meatballs resemble a guardian lion's head, and the cabbage its mane.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 120 min
- Total
- 140 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- medium
- Cuisine
- Chinese
Ingredients
Scaled for 4 servings
- 600g ground pork (must be at least 30% fat)
- 1/2 cup water chestnuts, finely minced
- 1 egg
- 2 tbsp Shaoxing wine
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp ginger, minced
- 1 tbsp scallions, minced
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1/2 cup chicken broth or water
- 1 large head of Napa cabbage, cut into large pieces
- 2 tbsp soy sauce (for braising liquid)
- 1 tsp sugar
Equipment
- Large claypot or Dutch oven
- Mixing bowl
Instructions
- 1
Prepare Pork
Place the ground pork in a large bowl. Ensure it has enough fat, otherwise the meatballs will be dry and hard.
- 2
Add Ingredients
Add the water chestnuts, egg, wine, soy sauce, ginger, scallions, and cornstarch to the pork.
- 3
Whip the Meat
Add 1/4 cup of the chicken broth. Use your hand to vigorously stir the meat in ONE direction for 5 minutes until it becomes sticky, pasty, and absorbs all the liquid. This creates a fluffy texture.
- 4
Form Meatballs
Divide the mixture into 4 massive meatballs. Pass them back and forth between your palms to smooth them.
- 5
Sear (Optional)
In a wok, lightly pan-fry the meatballs for 2 minutes per side just to set their shape. They do not need to cook through.
- 6
Layer the Pot
In a large claypot, lay half of the Napa cabbage leaves on the bottom to create a bed.
- 7
Add Meatballs
Gently place the massive meatballs on top of the cabbage bed.
- 8
Cover with Cabbage
Cover the meatballs completely with the remaining Napa cabbage leaves (this is the 'mane').
- 9
Add Liquid
Mix the remaining chicken broth with 2 tbsp soy sauce and sugar. Pour this over the cabbage.
- 10
Braise
Bring the pot to a simmer. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and reduce heat to the lowest setting.
- 11
Slow Cook
Braise slowly for 1.5 to 2 hours. The cabbage will release its juices and the meatballs will steam/braise until they are incredibly tender.
- 12
Serve
Serve directly in the claypot. The meatballs should be so tender they fall apart with a spoon.
Cooking Tips
- Whipping water or broth into the meat paste (a technique called 'da shui') is the secret to Chinese meatballs that are fluffy and bouncy rather than dense.
- The Napa cabbage melts into a sweet, savory broth that is arguably as delicious as the meat.
Variations
- Clear Broth Version (Qing Dun): Popular in Yangzhou, the meatballs are simmered in a crystal-clear broth without any dark soy sauce.
Nutrition Estimate
520 calories · 28g protein · 12g carbs · 40g fat · 4g fiber per serving
