Lion’s head meatballs with chinese cabbage

Another day, another dinner inspired by an ingredient from our weekly vegetable box.

On this occasion, it was a large grand wombok that got me thinking. I turned to my favourite cookbook, and was intrigued by a recipe for “Lion’s head meatballs with chinese cabbage” contained therein. If for no other reason than it has a cool name!

The dish itself was rather simple to put together, but made all the more tasty with a long slow cooking time and tasty ingredients. Starting with the meatballs – ginger, pork mince, tamari, spring onions, rice wine, sugar, egg whites and cornflour.

Processed into a sticky mixture, then shaped into balls and rolled in cornflour.

I then trimmed the wombok leaves (saving 2 large leaves for later), and stirfried them in a little ginger until they had wilted.

These then went into the base of a large pot.

Topped with the pork balls and simmering chicken stock.

Covered with the extra leaves, and tightly sealed.

I then placed the pot into the oven to slow cook for 3 hours. The result? Tender pork balls, juicy wombok leaves, and a delightfully fragrant stock.

Served on a bed of brown rice, and I am not kidding when I tell you that although this was a simple dish, it was a delicious one. Hearty and belly-warming.

We enjoyed it so much, that I have already made it again since!

What about you? How do you like to use wombok / Chinese cabbage?