Stewed Crab Roe Meatballs

Stewed Crab Roe Meatballs

　　Stewed Crab Roe Meatballs

　　Yangzhou people have unwavering preferences when it comes to their local dishes and flavors. Even during the height of Cantonese cuisine’s popularity, Yangzhou locals still enjoyed morning tea—but both the dim sum and the way it was eaten were distinctly Huaiyang-style. As they ate, they’d often remark, “We’ve had morning tea in Yangzhou for ages.” It’s said that Stewed Crab Roe Meatballs have a history of nearly a thousand years and remain delicious even today. The so-called “lion’s head” meatballs, referred to in the Yangzhou dialect as “big chopped meat,” are in standard Mandarin simply large meatballs. But inside the meat, there’s also crab meat, crab roe, and seasonings, all placed atop a bed of blanched vegetable hearts, then steamed in a basket. In the words of the locals: “The pork is tender and rich, the crab roe fragrant and delicious, and the vegetable hearts soft and tender. They must be eaten with a spoon—after one bite, the fragrance lingers in the mouth, leaving a lasting impression that’s hard to forget.”