Lions Head

• 2 pounds boneless pork shoulder (butt or picnic), coarsely ground in a food processor or meat grinder
• 1 scallion, trimmed and minced
• One 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine or dry sherry
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon white pepper
• 2 egg whites
• 2 tablespoons corn, grapeseed, or other neutral oil
• 1/2 pound Napa cabbage, cut into 2-inch pieces
• Salt to taste
• 1 quart beef or chicken stock, preferably homemade (page 160)
• 1 tablespoon dark sesame oil, or to taste

1. Mix the first 8 ingredients together, just until combined, using your hands or a wooden spoon.
2. Set aside.
3. Heat the oil in a large casserole over medium-high heat.
4. Add the cabbage and stir-fry until softened, about 5 minutes, seasoning with salt.
5. Add the stock and bring to a steady simmer.
6. With wet hands, form 4 meatballs with the pork mixture; handle gently.
7. Slide the meatballs into the stock, cover, and simmer, undisturbed, until cooked through, about 2 hours.
8. Place the cabbage in a soup tureen and put the meatballs on top.
9. Spoon the stock over the dish, season with sesame oil, and serve immediately.
10. Add 1/2 cup chopped reconstituted wood ear mushrooms (see page 112) and 1/4 cup chopped peeled, fresh water chestnuts (or peeled jicama) to the pork mixture.
11. A kind of delicious meat loaf: Omit the cabbage and stock.
12. Press the pork mixture into a large shallow dish.
13. Steam over hot water until cooked through, about 1 hour.
14. You may have eaten these in a dim sum house: Omit the cabbage, stock, and sesame oil.
15. Soak 1 cup glutinous or sticky rice in water for 1 hour, then drain.
16. Form the meat mixture into 1-inch balls, then roll them in the sticky rice to cover.
17. Place the balls in a steamer and cook until the meat cooks through and the rice puffs and becomes sticky, about 30 minutes.
18. Remove and serve.

pork shoulder, scallion, ginger, soy sauce, shaoxing wine, sugar, white pepper, egg whites, corn, cabbage, salt, beef, sesame oil

Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/lion-s-head-385898 (may not work)