清湯獅子頭 Braised Pork Balls

* this recipe came from my friend Jenny's auntie - Auntie Lesley Chu and demonstrated to me via her maid Daisy! 

Ingredients:

* prepare the day before your dinner party.

Pork Balls
Pork - 梅頭 - approx 1 kg (choose the part which is more red in colour)

Pork Fat - approx 700g of the pork quantity (but if you prefer really soft and tender pork balls, meat:fat proportion can be  can be up to 60:40)

egg white x 10

spring onion - 6 - minced x 1 bowl (green + white part)

shallots x 5 - minced

black pepper - pound in mortar

corn starch x 2.5 tsp

flour x 2.5 tsp

salt x 3 tsp

chicken powder x 3 tsp

sugar 1 tsp

When cooking with soup:

Spare Ribs (cut into 1 inch each) - blanched

Ginger  x 2 slices

Spring Onion

Star ainses

Before serving:

Japanese Chinese cabbage

 


How to Make: 

Pork Balls:
1. Slice the pork first, then further cut it into mince. Then use 2 Chinese knives to further mince it.

 


2. Slice the pork fat first, then further cut it into mince. Then use 2 Chinese knives to further mince it.

3. Mix the minced pork and the minced pork fat and further minced it using 2 Chinese knives. 

4. Put the minced pork and pork fat into a mixing bowl. Add the above seasonings first (ie the cornflour, flour, salt, chicken powder, sugar, black pepper, white pepper), then the shallots, spring onions, then add the egg whites, then mix them all using chopsticks stirring in 1 direction only until evenly mixed. 

5. Chill at fridge for around 1-2 hrs. Once you feel the mixture is quite solid, then take out from fridge.

6. Shape them into golf ball size and "pat" it gently to make the "ball" shape firmer.

7. Heat up a wok, add oil, then add the pork balls - the pork balls must submerge underneath the oil - deep fry until golden colour. Can do it in batches. can drip a few drops of dark soy sauce on top of pork balls to darken color. Once golden, remove from wok and drain oil.

8. Add the pork balls into a deep pot, then the blanched spare ribs and bring to boil together with the ginger, star aines, spring onion. Season with light soy sauce, chicken powder, wine and sugar. Once boiled, reduce heat to medium and cook for approx 75 to 90min. Check taste and adjust seasoning accordingly.

9. After cool down, put in fridge.

10. Next day before dinner, take out the pot with soup and pork balls, bring to boil, remove spare ribs and some soup and place at another pot. Cook japanese chinese cabbage in that other pot with the spare ribs and soup. Once the cabbage is done, transfer cooked cabbage to the pork balls pot and ready to serve!


Enjoy with a bowl of white rice!

Notes:
* after pork balls are cooked in the spare rib soup, avoid re-cooking them for a long time. Once re-heat, they are ready to serve, as the longer you cook them, the less tender they will be.
* the more fat content you use, the more tender the pork balls will be.