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By Root 169 0

sugar, soy sauce, fermented red rice, scallions, ginger, star anise, cinnamon stick, and chilies in a flameproof casserole or Dutch oven. Add the ribs and bring to a boil over high heat. Place a plate or a flat lid inside the wok to keep the ribs submerged in the sauce. Partially cover the casserole with the lid. Reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook at a steady simmer until the ribs are tender and the sauce is syrupy, 35 to 40 minutes. If the sauce seems too thin, transfer the ribs to a platter, cover them with aluminum foil to keep warm, and boil the sauce over high heat for a few minutes to reduce it. Remove the star anise, cinnamon stick, and chilies. Transfer the ribs and sauce to a serving platter, and serve immediately. (The red rice is only a seasoning, and should not be eaten.)

Note: Fermented rice, like regular rice, will triple in volume when cooked, so tie it loosely in cheesecloth so it has room to expand.

LIKE ANTS CLIMB A TREE, this dish of pork meatballs and cabbage is picturesquely named. The lion’s head is the meatball, and its mane the leafy cabbage. Tenderness is the way to judge the quality of Lion’s Head: traditional cooks use very fatty pork to add juiciness; others use bean curd for its softness. I mix pork and bean curd, and the results are excellent. This soothing dish is perfect family fare. Makes 4 servings

Lion’s Head with Cabbage

Meatballs

1 block (8 ounces) firm bean curd, drained

10 ounces ground pork

1 scallion, white and green parts, trimmed and minced

1 large egg, beaten

½ teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon cornstarch

Vegetable oil, for passing through

Sauce

3 cups Chicken Stock (page 70) or canned chicken broth

¼ cup rice wine or dry sherry

¼ cup soy sauce

2 scallions, white and green parts, trimmed and cut in half

One 1-inch piece peeled fresh ginger, cut into 3 slices

1 tablespoon sugar

½ teaspoon ground white pepper

12 ounces (12 leaves) Napa cabbage, cut into pieces 4 inches long and 2 inches wide

¼ cup sliced bamboo shoots (cut into pieces 2 inches long and ¼ inch thick)

4 Chinese dried black mushrooms, soaked in hot tap water until softened, stems trimmed, each cap cut in half

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1. To make the meatballs, using the flat side of a cleaver, mash the bean curd flat and then mince it finely. Lightly mix the pork, scallion, egg, and salt in a medium bowl. Add the bean curd and lightly mix again. Add the cornstarch and mix just until combined. (Overhandling makes tough meatballs, so use a light touch, as the next step will combine the ingredients more.)

2. Using your hands, pick up a quarter of the pork mixture and throw it against the rest of the mixture in the bowl. This will help the pork mixture adhere and not fall apart in the cooking. Repeat 10 times. (It’s fun. It’s the food equivalent of slapping a softball into a catcher’s glove.) Repeat with the remaining pork mixture.

3. Heat a large wok over high heat. Add enough oil to come about 1 ½ inches up the sides of the wok, and heat it to 325°F. Form the pork mixture into 4 meatballs, and gently lower them into the wok. Fry in gently bubbling oil, carefully turning them once or twice, until golden on all sides, about 3 minutes. Using a wide wire-mesh strainer, transfer the meatballs to a colander to drain. Discard the oil. Rinse out the wok and dry it completely.

4. To begin the sauce, combine the stock, rice wine, soy sauce, scallions, ginger, sugar, and white pepper in the wok, and stir.

5. Add the meatballs, cabbage, bamboo shoots, and mushrooms to the wok, and bring to a boil over high heat. Cover the wok and reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer until the meatballs are cooked through, about 30 minutes.

6. Dissolve the cornstarch in 3 tablespoons cold water in a small bowl, and stir into the sauce. Cook until the sauce thickens lightly, about 30 seconds. Serve immediately.

MU SHU PORK is associated with northern China—nearly all dishes that are wrapped in pancakes or are eaten with bread originated there. It is a dish that has many textures