← Nouns Cooking · Chinese

Ingredients

• 500 g fatty pork mince (about 30% fat)
• 100 g Water chestnuts (fresh or tinned), drained and finely chopped
• 2 tsp Ginger, finely grated
• 3 Spring onion, finely chopped
• 1 Eggs
• 2 tbsp Shaoxing wine
• 2 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tsp Sugar
• ½ tsp Salt
• ¼ tsp White pepper
• 1 tbsp Cornflour (cornstarch)
• 1 tsp Toasted sesame oil
• 3 tbsp Vegetable oil
• 500 g Napa (Chinese) cabbage, leaves cut into large pieces
• 500 ml chicken stock
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tsp Dark soy sauce
• 1 tsp Sugar
• 3 slices Ginger

Method

1. Put the pork in a large bowl with the grated ginger, egg, wine, soy sauce, sugar, salt, pepper, cornflour and sesame oil. Stir hard in one direction for 3–4 min, until the mixture turns sticky and springy. Fold in the water chestnuts and spring onion.
2. Divide into 6 portions. With wet hands, toss each one from palm to palm to firm it up, then shape into a smooth ball.
3. Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat and brown the meatballs, turning gently, for 6–8 min, until golden all over. They will not be cooked inside yet.
4. Line a heavy pot or clay pot with half the cabbage. Sit the meatballs on top and tuck the rest of the cabbage over and around them.
5. Pour in the stock, soy sauce, dark soy, sugar and ginger slices and bring to the boil. Cover, turn the heat to low and simmer gently for 40 min, until the meatballs are tender and cooked through (71°C / 160°F in the centre).
6. Serve each person a meatball with plenty of the soft cabbage and broth, with rice on the side.

Tips

• Fatty mince is the secret to a soft, juicy texture; lean pork makes dense meatballs.
• No water chestnuts? Finely diced jicama or a little extra spring onion keeps some crunch.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

Omnivore's Cookbook Sift & Simmer Christine's Recipes