Shanghai braised lion head
Shanghai Braised Lion's Head Meatballs are a classic representative of Benbang (Shanghai-style) cuisine. Made from hand-chopped pork with a perfect ratio of fat and lean meat, the mixture is shaped into large meatballs and slowly braised. The meat is soft, tender, and juicy — literally melting in your mouth — in a rich broth, served over a bed of green vegetables. It is the signature dish at Shanghai family banquets.
食材清单
- Pork belly 500 g
- Water chestnut 5 pcs
- Eggs 1 pcs
- Bok choy 200 g
- Ginger 15 g
- Green onions 20 g
- Cooking wine 20 ml
- Light soy sauce 30 ml
- Dark soy sauce 15 ml
- Rock sugar 20 g
- salt to taste
- Starch 15 g
制作步骤
- Separate the fat and lean pork belly, first cut into fine cubes and then chop a few times (do not chop too finely)
- Peel and dice the water chestnuts, mince the ginger and green onions.
- Add diced water chestnuts, minced ginger, minced green onions, eggs, cooking wine, light soy sauce, and starch to the diced meat and stir well.
- Divide the meat filling into 4 equal parts and form into large meatballs
- Put oil in the pan and fry the lion head until the surface is set
- Place green cabbage leaves on the bottom of the casserole and add the lion head
- Add stock, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, and rock sugar
- Bring to a boil, then simmer over low heat for 1.5 hours
文化小知识
Lion head is a classic dish of Huaiyang cuisine in China, and it also plays an important role in Shanghai local cuisine. The Shanghai version pays attention to the proportion of fat and thin Panax notoginseng, and the stew time is longer, and the meat is softer. Shanghainese almost always make lion heads during festivals.