Name: Shanghainese quickbraise Hong Sao-style Lion’s Head meatballs
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 500g minced pork (60% lean, 40% pork belly); 4 garlic cloves finely chopped; 2 tbsp ginger grated; 2 spring onions finely chopped; pinch of ground white pepper; 50ml Shaoxing rice wine or dry sherry; 1 tbsp dark soy sauce; 2 tbsp light soy sauce; 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil; 1 egg beaten; 4 tbsp cornflour; 100ml rapeseed oil; 2½cm piece ginger cut into coins; 500ml vegetable stock; 2 tbsp dark soy sauce; 3 tbsp light soy sauce; 3 tbsp caster sugar; 1 star anise; 1 cinnamon stick; steamed long-stem broccoli

Serving plate of meatballs in a red sauce next to a bowl of greens

For the meatballs

500g minced pork (60% lean, 40% pork belly)
4 garlic cloves
finely chopped
2 tbsp ginger
grated
2 spring onions
finely chopped
pinch of ground white pepper
50ml Shaoxing rice wine or dry sherry
1 tbsp dark soy sauce
2 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
1 egg
beaten
4 tbsp cornflour
100ml rapeseed oil

For the red braising sauce

2½cm piece ginger
cut into coins
500ml vegetable stock
2 tbsp dark soy sauce
3 tbsp light soy sauce
3 tbsp caster sugar
1 star anise
1 cinnamon stick

To serve

steamed long-stem broccoli

Method

step 1
Put all the ingredients for the meatballs, except the oil, into a large bowl with ½ tsp salt and stir to combine well. Divide the mixture into 6, then using slightly wet hands, roll each piece into a round ball. Set on a plate.
step 2
Pour the rapeseed oil into a large wok or pan and heat over medium-high heat. Carefully add the meatballs into the oil and brown all over until golden, carefully turning throughout. Cook for 5-7 mins (they do not need to be cooked through at this point). Lift the meatballs out and set aside.
step 3
Pour the oil into a heatproof jug, leaving 1 tbsp in the pan. Return the pan to the heat and add the ginger coins. Stir-fry until brown at the edges, using a spoon to scrape any flavour from the bottom of the pan. Pour in the stock, both soy sauces, sugar, star anise and cinnamon stick along with 100ml water. Cook on medium heat for 15 mins, reducing the liquid by about half.
step 4
Add the meatballs to the sauce and cook, covered, for a further 5-8 mins. Gently coat the meatballs in the sauce, ensuring they are well coated but do not fall apart. Transfer the meatballs to a platter and pour over the sauce (you can leave the star anise and cinnamon on the plate as a garnish). Serve with steamed long-stem broccoli.