This is a dish my mother used to make all the time even now. Lion’s Head is a giant meatball about the size of my fist. Each time my mother only made three of them and stewed them in Napa cabbage with soy sauce and a hint of sugar. It should be very soft and juicy without breaking apart when serve with Napa cabbage.
There are lots of vegan versions around in Taiwan, but not necessary high in protein. I once bought a bag of meatless balls from Trader Joe’s and noticed in the ingredient list the main protein source is TVP (textured vegetable protein which is soy protein) and also gluten flour to bind them together. In traditional Taiwanese vegan recipes, they use tofu and bread, or flour, to add volume and to bind the meatless ball together.
I experimented with this recipe and used a base of TVP and gluten flour mixed with some vegetables, and it came out very nice! I made smaller meatless balls than the giant Lion’s Head.
The music is “Debe” by Ali Farka Toure who is the most celebrated Malian jazz musician from South Africa. The album is “In the Heart of the moon.” I love this song so much I use it for my ringtone!
Meatless Ball
11/2 cup TVP (wet it and don’t soak it, pressing excess water out using a strainer)
1 cup dried shiitake mushroom, soak until soft
1 small carrot
1 stalk celery
Water chestnut (optional)
1 stalk green onion
½ to 1-teaspoon ginger
½ teaspoon garlic powder
1-tablespoon soy sauce
1-tablespoon vegetable oil
1-tablespoon rice cooking wine
1-teaspoon sesame oil
1-teaspoon sugar
Salt, pepper
3 to 4 tablespoons gluten flour
Thick cornstarch water (optional)
Stew Napa cabbage
1 head Napa cabbage, chop it into big pieces
Soy sauce
Salt, pepper, sugar
Use a food processor to chop mushroom, carrot, celery, green onion and ginger until they are pretty fine. Add all ingredients together in a big bowl (except cornstarch water) and mix very well. Makes about 12 to 16 balls. Spray them with oil (Pam), cover with foil and bake in a 375F oven about 20 minutes. Afterwards, you can dip them in the cornstarch water and deep-fry them until they are golden brown.
While baking the meatless ball, use a wok heat up a little oil and add soy sauce then immediately add Napa cabbage. Add salt, pepper and sugar, then lower the heat to medium and slowly stew the cabbage until it totally shrinks and wilts down. At this moment, the cabbage will lose lots of water.
Add meatless balls to the cabbage or you can choose to thicken the liquid. Plate and serve with rice.
Gwatlan, my mother does this way too. I think only us Asian know how to mix the protein. It is very delicious to use pork,, chicken and shrimp together. This way may not need so much seasoning like I need to add into the vegetarian version.
| Views: 367
