Melt-in-Your-Mouth Braised Lion's Head Meatballs

Dice 1 slice of toast (or half a steamed bun) into pea-sized cubes. Make sure they are uniform and small.

Place diced toast into a small bowl, add 2 tbsp milk, and stir until the bread cubes absorb the milk completely.

Finely slice 1 stalk of green onion into small rings.

Grate 1 small piece of ginger into fine paste using a grater.

Pour 50g water over sliced scallion and ginger, knead/rub with hands to release juices, then strain through a sieve to yield scallion-ginger water.

Add 600g ground pork into food processor, along with 1 pinch salt, 1 egg, 1.5 tbsp Shaoxing wine, 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tsp sugar, 1 tbsp oyster sauce, 1 tsp white pepper, 2 tbsp tapioca starch, 3 tbsp scallion-ginger water, and 1 tbsp sesame oil. Blend until meat becomes sticky and emulsified.

(If cooking manually without a food processor) Place ground pork on cutting board and mince further with knives for 2 to 3 minutes to sever sinews and improve stickiness.

Mix pork with seasonings thoroughly, then pick up meat paste and slap it repeatedly into the bowl until sticky and elastic.

Add the soaked milk bread cubes into meat paste and gently fold them in until evenly distributed.

Divide meat mixture evenly into 6 portions (approx. 100g each) using your hands.

Dampen hands with water or oil. Take one portion (fist size) and toss back and forth between palms to expel trapped air, shaping into smooth solid spheres. Place on baking paper.

Heat 500ml cooking oil to 180°C. Gently lower meatballs into oil using a strainer spoon. Deep fry until outer crust turns golden brown and sets, then drain.

In the same pan, heat 1 tbsp residual oil over medium heat. Add 1.5 tbsp dried shrimp, sliced ginger, and cut scallions. Sauté until fragrant.

Add 0.5 tbsp soy sauce and 1 tbsp oyster sauce into the pan, then add the thick stems of half a head of napa cabbage. Stir fry briefly, pour in 400g broth or water, and bring to a rolling boil.

Transfer the cooked cabbage stems along with aromatics to the bottom of a claypot to form a bed.

Arrange the 6 fried meatballs neatly over the bed of cabbage stems in the claypot.

Cover meatballs with raw cabbage leafy tops, then pour in the hot broth sauce from the skillet. Bring liquid in claypot to a boil over high heat.

Cover claypot with lid, turn heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes. Turn off heat and let it steam covered for 10 minutes.

Remove lid, turn heat to high and bring back to a boil. Adjust seasoning if needed, sprinkle with 1 tbsp green onion or cilantro, and serve hot!