🍜 Soup Of The Day 🦁
It’s soup season and we’re enjoying as much of it around here as possible before the weather warms up and the season officially comes to an end. This soup is full of tender and flavorful meatballs poached in a light, earthy broth. The shape of the meatball resembles the lion’s head 🦁. The Napa cabbage resembles the lion’s mane. The combination gives this dish its name, Lion’s Head Soup.
This soup 🍜 is filled with flavors from garlic and sesame oil. The meatballs are tender and light, cooked right in the steaming hot broth. “Lion’s Head” Meatballs are usually fried and served with white rice 🍚 or as in this soup, poached in clear broth 🍜. Traditionally made with ground pork, my version takes a slight twist on thousands of years of tradition 🤭. This time I’m using ground chicken, but pork is preferred for the tastiest meatballs.
About Guardian Lion’s in Asian Culture
Since the introduction of the lion symbolism during the Han dynasty (206 BC – AD 220) from Indian culture especially through Buddhist symbolism, statues of guardian lions have traditionally stood in front of Chinese Imperial palaces, Imperial tombs, government offices, temples, and the homes of government officials and the wealthy, and were believed to have powerful mythic protective benefits. Pairs of guardian lion statues are still common decorative and symbolic elements at the entrances to restaurants, hotels, supermarkets and other structures, with one sitting on each side of the entrance, in China and in other places around the world where the Chinese people have immigrated and settled, especially in local Chinatowns.
In other Asian cultures
Sri Lanka: known as Simha (සිංහ මූර්ති)Thailand: known as Singha (สิงห์) Tibet: known as a Snow Lion Vietnam: known as Sư tử đá
Feng Shui At My House
My ceramic lion, a recent gift, sits high on my shelf protecting us and my cookbooks 📖. I actually have quite a number of Chinese symbols around my house. Feng shui is irresistible to me. (Sort of for the same reason as I make black eyed peas every New Year). I have many items placed (hopefully) in just the right spot for optimum protection and good luck 🤞. For many years I was obsessed with learning about and putting feng shui into practice. At a certain point, I realized that I knew just enough to possibly be dangerous! Items placed in the wrong spot may be detrimental.
Do you remember the scandal at the MGM Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas? Placement of the protective lions was incorrect according to the principles of feng shui. The casino was unable to attract customers who refused to enter their doors. Moving the lions repaired the situation and business began to boom!
For The Meatballs (Lion’s Head)
Into a medium-sized bowl, add the ground pork or chicken with 1 egg, 1 tablespoon of cornstarch and 2 teaspoons of sesame oil and 1 teaspoon soy sauce. Add 1 tablespoon of chopped/minced ginger, 2 teaspoons of garlic, half the finely chopped scallions (save the rest for garnish), 1/4 cup finely chopped water chestnuts. Gently mix with your hands, set aside.
For The Lion’s Head Soup 🦁
Prepare the soba noodles according to package directions. You can use any type of noodles you like best. This would work with almost any type of Asian noodles, try with rice noodles or Udon as well. Rinse the noodles with cold water, drain and set aside.
Prepare the broth. In a medium-sized bowl, add the chicken broth, water, 1/4 cup of Shaoxing wine, 1 1/2 teaspoons of cornstarch, 1/4 teaspoon of white pepper, 2 teaspoons each of sesame oil and minced garlic and 3 teaspoons of soy sauce. Mix well to combine.
If you are not familiar with Shaoxing wine, is an important part of Chinese recipes. It’s an inexpensive cooking wine and adds great flavor. You can find it in most grocery stores or Asian markets. If you don’t have any, you can substitute with a dry sherry.
Prepare the Napa cabbage by cleaning it, then removing the core and chopping the leaves, to about 2 inches.
Into a large heavy bottomed pot, on medium high heat, add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil. Add the chopped Napa Cabbage and saute until it wilts, about 3 minutes.
Add the broth mixture, then bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium. Using a spoon, form 1 inch balls with the meat, then drop them into the hot soup. Once all the meatballs are added, cover the pot and simmer for 15 minutes. After simmering, adjust seasoning with soy sauce or salt, and pepper.
Add the noodles, mix to combine and let it heat through, just a minute or two.
Serve
Serve the soup in large bowls. Garnish with scallions and a tiny drizzle of sesame oil, just a 1/2 teaspoon or so.
Ingredients
For the meatballs
- 1 lb ground pork (or chicken)
- 1/4 cup drained canned water chestnuts, chopped
- 1 tablespoon minced ginger (about 2 inches, peeled)
- 1 bunch scallions, finely chopped (safe 1/2 for the garnish)
- 2 teaspoons finely minced garlic (about 2 cloves)
- 1 egg
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
For the Soup
- 2 cans chicken stock (low sodium)
- 1 cups water
- 1/4 cup Shaoxing wine (or substitute dry sherry)
- 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
- 3 teaspoons soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil (plus more for garnish)
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 Napa cabbage, core removed, leaves chopped
- 8 ounces Soba noodles
Instructions
For the meatballs
- Into a medium sized bowl, add the ground pork or chicken with 1 egg, 1 tablespoon of cornstarch and 2 teaspoons of sesame oil. Add the ginger, chopped water chestnuts, 2 teaspoons of garlic half the chopped scallions and 1 teaspoon soy sauce.
- Gently mix with your hands, set aside.
For the Soup
- Prepare the noodles according to package directions. Rinse will with cold water, drain and set aside.
- In a medium sized bowl, add the chicken stock, water, Shaoxing wine, white pepper, 1 1/2 teaspoons of cornstarch, and 2 teaspoons each of the chopped garlic, sesame oil and 3 teaspoons of soy sauce, 1/4 teaspoon white pepper. Mix well to combine.
- Into a large heavy bottomed pot, on medium high heat, add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil.
- Add the chopped Napa Cabbage and saute until is wilts, about 3 minutes.
- Add the broth mixture, then bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium
- Using a spoon, form 1 inch balls of meat, then drop them into the hot soup.
- Cover the pot and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Add the noodles, mix to combine and let it heat through, just a minute or two.
- Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, if needed.
Garnish with scallions and a drizzle of sesame oil
