A classic Chinese dish, Lion's Head, combines ground pork with aromatics and breadcrumbs to create delicate and delicious asian pork meatballs in savory broth with tender bok choy.
It has been over a year since I first shared this recipe, and I thought it was time for some picture updating. Not only that, but it is truly one of our household's favorite dishes. It is perhaps Michael's most requested dinner that I make!
This meal is warm and filling, but the bright ginger, tangy rice vinegar, and warm garlic and onion keep the flavors crisp and light.
Where does the dish "Lion's Head" get its name?
Lion’s Head is a Chinese dish involving tender pork meatballs and bok choy in a savory broth. The name comes from the visual appeal of the dish-- the meatballs represent the lion’s head and the bok choy its flowing mane.
There are a few versions of this dish that you will find, depending on the region of China it originates. The first version is steamed meatballs. The meatballs are browned to seal in flavor and give them shape and then steamed. This process produces a light and fluffy meatball, with a lot of fat rendered out from the steaming process.
The next version is braising in a soy sauce mixture. And the third is cooking the pork meatballs in chicken stock. For this recipe, I combine all of the methods by browning, incorporating the extra broth, and then bringing in the salty umami flavor that braising the meatballs in soy sauce imparts.
Ingredients
asian pork meatballs
- fresh ginger
- baby bok choy
- garlic
- ground pork
- egg
- green onions
- rice vinegar
- soy sauce
- sugar
- bread crumbs
- olive oil
Broth
- soy sauce
- rice vinegar
- sugar
- chicken stock
How to prepare lion's head
Begin by peeling and mincing a good-sized nub of fresh ginger (enough to equal approximately 1 ½ tablespoons. Mince 6 cloves of garlic. Trim ends off of both sides of the green onions and dice. Take this time to also prepare the bok choy and cut each into fourths length-wise. You can also cut it into ½ inch-1 inch pieces. This is easier to eat, I just enjoy the look of the more whole bok choy.
In a large bowl, add minced ginger, garlic, green onions, egg, ground pork, rice vinegar, soy sauce, sugar and bread crumbs. Stir to combine. Form pork mixture in golf ball-sized meatballs and flatten (should create about 15 meatballs).
Heat the first tablespoon of olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat and place in approx. half of the meatballs. Brown and flip--about 5 minutes on each side. After first batch is brown, remove to plate, and add second tablespoon of olive oil. Once hot, add the rest of the meatballs and repeat.
In a small bowl, mix together ingredients for the broth: soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, and chicken stock. Add to the skillet, scraping the bottom to get up any flavoring that lies there. Add in prepared bok coy, and replace the meatballs back to the pot. Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes.
Recipe tip
This dish takes a little bit of time, but the end result is beyond worth it! I have been known to double the measurements for the recipe and make this in a HUGE pot, simply because the leftovers heat up so beautifully and it doesn't take that much extra prep time to come out with double the result.
Ground pork substitute
If you don't like ground pork or choose not to eat it, this recipe can easily be made with ground chicken instead! I do this often, depending on what meat I have on hand, and the ground chicken meatballs taste very similar.
How to serve braised asian pork meatballs
You can serve this on its own as more of a soup/stew, or serve it over rice! I love a generous dash of sriracha on top as well.
Bok Choy Substitute
As far as greens go, this recipe calls for baby bok choy. If you are unable to find this, regular bok choy or even Napa cabbage can be substituted, you will simply need to cut it into smaller pieces. Spinach is a good substitute as well, but is a much different, more tender texture.
If you use a more tender green, you don’t have to cook it as long. Adjust accordingly if you are substituting.
Looking for more asian inspired dishes?
- Spicy Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps
- Spicy Thai Basil Chicken
- Better than Takeout Beef and Broccoli
- Spicy Pork Dumplings
- Inside Out Egg Rolls
Lion's Head (Pork Meatballs with Bok Choy)
Ingredients
Broth
- 2 tbsp. soy sauce
- 2 tbsp. rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp. sugar
- 4 cups chicken stock
Meatballs
- 1 ½ tbsp. fresh ginger
- 1-2 lbs. baby bok choy
- 6 cloves garlic
- 1 lb. ground pork
- 1 egg
- 4 green onions
- 1 tbsp. rice vinegar
- 2 tbsp. soy sauce
- 1 tbsp. sugar
- ¼ cup breadcrumbs
- 2 tbsp. olive oil separated
Instructions
- Begin by peeling and mincing a good-sized nub of fresh ginger (enough to equal approximately 1 ½ tablespoons. Mince 6 cloves of garlic. Trim ends off of both sides of the green onions and dice. Take this time to also prepare the bok choy and cut each into fourths length-wise.
- In a large bowl, add minced ginger, garlic, green onions, egg, ground pork, rice vinegar, soy sauce, sugar and bread crumbs. Stir to combine.
- Form pork mixture in golf ball-sized meatballs and flatten (should create about 15 meatballs).
- Heat the first tablespoon of olive oil in a Dutch oven (6 qt.) and place in approx. half of the meatballs. Brown and flip--about 5 minutes on each side. After first batch is brown, remove to plate, and add second tablespoon of olive oil. Once hot, add the rest of the meatballs and repeat.
- In a small bowl, mix together ingredients for the broth: soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, and chicken stock. Add to the skillet, scraping the bottom to get up any flavoring that lies there.
- Add in prepared bok coy, and replace the meatballs back to the pot. Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes.
- Best served with a dollop of Sriracha.
Tim
Love this recipe!
Leticia
Yum, where’s mine
Mtmb
Yummy,
This is truly a warm up for winter meal.
Shannan
I located your web site from Google and I
need to claim it was an excellent discover. Many thanks!
joanne
pictures. worth thousand words as I heard all pictures so beautiful good almost !to take a bite
Sarah
Hehe, couldn't have said it better myself! Thank you!