Yifeng Lion's Head Meatball

Yifeng Lion's Head Meatball

　　Lion's Head: A unique traditional famous dish from Yifeng’s Tanshan and Tianbao areas, widely popular for over 100 years. It features snow-white color, tender meat, aromatic and mellow flavor, and is suitable for all seasons. The ingredients include 500 grams of pork shoulder meat, 400 grams of premium glutinous rice, 10 grams of shiitake mushrooms, 50 grams of water chestnuts, 1 egg, 25 grams of potato starch, as well as salt, monosodium glutamate, ginger, and others. The pork is finely chopped and mixed with the egg, potato starch, salt, monosodium glutamate, and ginger. Separately, the peeled water chestnuts and shiitake mushrooms are also finely chopped. The glutinous rice is soaked in boiling water until half-cooked, then drained and rinsed with cold water. Half of the rice is used along with the pork, water chestnuts, and mushrooms to form 25-gram meatballs, while the other half is placed in a tray. The meatballs are coated with the remaining glutinous rice and steamed in a bamboo steamer over high heat until fully cooked.