Lions head meatball soup

Big juicy meatball lions heads with Chinese cabbage manes, floating in a lovely savoury broth. Feeds 2-4, depending on hunger and wish for leftovers.

• 500g pork mince
• 4 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 2 tbsp grated ginger
• 2 spring onions, finely chopped
• 6 water chestnuts, finely chopped
• ¼ tsp ground white pepper
• 50ml shaoxing rice wine
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 tbsp cornflour
• ½ tsp salt

• 2 tbsp veg oil
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled and bashed
• 2″ ginger, sliced into thick coins
• 4 spring onions, cut into 3″ pieces
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tsp brown sugar
• 2 tbsp shaoxing
• 1 chicken stock cube
• Chinese cabbage leaves, cut into vertical quarters

1. Mix meatball ingredients (the first 12 listed) together well and form into golfball-sized meatballs
2. Lower into boiling water, turn to a simmer and cook for 5 mins, then remove. Keep the cooking liquid
3. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a deep frying pan and fry the meatballs briefly on each side until golden, then remove and set to one side
4. In the same pan, add the next 1 tbsp oil and then fry the garlic, ginger, spring onion until softened but not brown
5. Add soy sauce, shaoxing, sugar and stock. Stir together, then add 1 litre of the meatball water (topping up with boiling water from the kettle if there’s not enough)
6. Bring to the boil then add the meatballs back in, curling the cabbage leaf strips around the meatballs in the pan (voila lion+mane)
7. Simmer until the cabbage is cooked and the meatballs are hot through