makes 12, approx 40 minutes
100ml groundnut oil
750ml water or vegetable stock
300g Chinese cabbage/leaf, quartered lengthways
3 dried chinese mushrooms
15ml light soy sauce
15ml cornflour blended with 30ml cold water
2 large spring onions, sliced
ground white pepper
Meatballs:
500g minced beef
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tbs freshly grated root ginger
50ml Shaohsing rice wine or dry sherry
2tbs light soy
1tbs toasted sesame oil
1 egg beaten
1tbs cornflour
pince of ground white pepper
1. Put all the ingredients for the meatballs into a large bowl and stir to combine, stirring in the same direction. Using wetted hands, take a large mound of the minced meat mixture and mould into a ball a little larger than a golf ball. Place on a plate and repeat to make 12.
2. Pour the groundnut oil into a large deep pan and heat over a high heat. Using a metal ladle, carefully lower each meatball into the oil and spoon some of it over the meatballs. Cook for 4-5 minutes until browned.
Pour all but 2tbs of oil out into a heatproof bowl. Add the water/stock to the pan. Arrange the slices of Chinese leaf around the meatballs, curving them round the sides of the pan lengthways, then add the mushrooms and soy sauce and bring to the boil. Cover the pan, reduce to simmer and cook gently for 15 minutes. Add the blended cornflour and water and stir until thickened.
Take off the heat, season to taste and sprinkle with the spring onions. Transfer to a serving dish and serve immediately with jasmine rice.
100ml groundnut oil
750ml water or vegetable stock
300g Chinese cabbage/leaf, quartered lengthways
3 dried chinese mushrooms
15ml light soy sauce
15ml cornflour blended with 30ml cold water
2 large spring onions, sliced
ground white pepper
Meatballs:
500g minced beef
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tbs freshly grated root ginger
50ml Shaohsing rice wine or dry sherry
2tbs light soy
1tbs toasted sesame oil
1 egg beaten
1tbs cornflour
pince of ground white pepper
1. Put all the ingredients for the meatballs into a large bowl and stir to combine, stirring in the same direction. Using wetted hands, take a large mound of the minced meat mixture and mould into a ball a little larger than a golf ball. Place on a plate and repeat to make 12.
2. Pour the groundnut oil into a large deep pan and heat over a high heat. Using a metal ladle, carefully lower each meatball into the oil and spoon some of it over the meatballs. Cook for 4-5 minutes until browned.
Pour all but 2tbs of oil out into a heatproof bowl. Add the water/stock to the pan. Arrange the slices of Chinese leaf around the meatballs, curving them round the sides of the pan lengthways, then add the mushrooms and soy sauce and bring to the boil. Cover the pan, reduce to simmer and cook gently for 15 minutes. Add the blended cornflour and water and stir until thickened.
Take off the heat, season to taste and sprinkle with the spring onions. Transfer to a serving dish and serve immediately with jasmine rice.