Lion's Head Meatballs
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Lion's Head Meatballs
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Lion's Head Meatballs (Simplified Chinese: 狮子头; Traditional Chinese: 獅子頭; Pinyin: Shīzi tóu) are oversized pork meatballs from Jiangsu (especially Huaiyang) cooking, stewed or braised until tender and often served with greens that evoke a "lion's mane."[1]
Characteristics
Meatballs are large, juicy, and finely textured rather than dense. Clear-broth stewed versions and red-braised versions both appear; bok choy or cabbage commonly accompanies the plate.
Ingredients (overview)
Minced pork (often a mix of lean and fat), water chestnuts or similar crunch in some recipes, egg, starch, aromatics, and stock or braising sauce. Greens for serving.
History and culture
The dish is a classic of Jiangsu Food / Huaiyang cuisine and a staple of Yangzhou and broader Jiangnan banquet tables. The playful name refers to size and presentation, not exotic meat.
Serving and variations
Shared main with rice. See Jiangsu Food; related Jiangnan meat dishes include Hong Shao Rou.