[Jiangsu] Tomato Juice Lion Head
2024-08-06 14:59:04 1134
![[Jiangsu] Tomato Juice Lion Head](https://i3.meishichina.com/attachment/recipe/2017/10/17/20171017150820669932313.jpg?x-oss-process=style/c640ms)
Lion's head is a traditional Han dish in Huaiyang cuisine in Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province, China. It is said that the practice of lion head originated in the Sui Dynasty. When Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty was on a visit, he made four famous dishes, namely, squirrel mandarin fish, money shrimp cake, ivory chicken strips and sunflower chopped meat, with the theme of Yangzhou Wansong Mountain, money pier, ivory forest and sunflower hill. It is said that the original names were sunflower chopped meat and sunflower Rice-meat dumplings. Wei Juyuan, the family chef of Wei Zhi, the Duke of Sion in the Tang Dynasty, made four famous dishes, namely, squirrel mandarin fish, money shrimp cake, ivory chicken strips, and sunflower chopped meat, which impressed guests. The sunflower chopped meat was renamed lion head. This dish has a soft and smooth texture, and is healthy and nutritious. The meat, which is both fat and thin, is rosy and shiny, with bright colors and a strong aroma that arouses the appetite just by looking at it. The rich and fragrant meat chunks and juices are an irresistible top delicacy. The lion's head should be soft and delicious, and it's best to chop the meat yourself. Another key is to stew it on a container over low heat, preferably in a clay pot. Nowadays, there are various improved versions of this dish. The tomato sauce lion head I made today is an improved version. The braised sauce has been changed to tomato sauce, and a suitable amount of tofu has been added to the meat. Pineapple has been added to the soup, making the lion head taste more rich, soft and delicious, with a sour and sweet taste. It is not fried, and the frying method is used instead of deep frying. It does not feel greasy at all and is more nutritious. The most crucial thing is that this dish is especially suitable for Chinese New Year. Four lion heads represent the Four Joys, and red tomato sauce represents the fiery red. Whether it's the meaning or the taste, it's a good choice for Chinese New Year dishes!
Details of ingredients
Technique
Steps to make [Jiangsu] Tomato Juice Lion Head
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1. Use meat in a ratio of 3:7 and chop the filling by hand. Do not crush it too finely, as small particles provide a better texture. Add 3 grams of yellow wine, salt, 2 grams of five spice powder, and pepper powder. I use snowflake meat on the front neck, which is slightly thin. You can also use pork belly![]()
2. Mix the meat filling evenly and add tofu. Due to the lean meat filling, adding tofu will make the taste more sticky![]()
3. Stir thoroughly until the filling is strong.![]()
4. Divide the meat filling into 4 equal parts and beat them left and right into balls with your hands. The balls formed in this way will be easier to clump together and there will be no air inside.![]()
5. Group made meatballs![]()
6. Heat up the pot and add a little oil. Fry in a bowl until the surface turns golden brown![]()
7. Put a little oil in a clay pot and stir fry until chopped onions are fragrant. If your clay pot cannot be stir fried directly, use a wok to stir fry and then pour it into the clay pot.![]()
8. Stir fry onions until transparent, then add peeled diced tomatoes and stir fry![]()
9. Add 3 grams of salt, 2 grams of pepper powder, and stir fry with white sugar![]()
10. Stir fry until the tomatoes become soft, then add an appropriate amount of boiling water![]()
11. Add tomato sauce again![]()
12. Put the fried meatballs in![]()
13. Cover the lid, bring to a boil over medium heat, then turn to low heat and simmer for about half an hour![]()
14. Stew until the soup thickens, then add pineapple meat and simmer for about 10 minutes![]()
15. Finally, add an egg in the middle, turn off the heat immediately after adding the egg, cover it with a lid, and use the insulation effect of the clay pot to simmer the egg until cooked. When you open the lid of the pot when it's served, the soup inside is still slightly bubbling, which is the desired effect of using a clay pot.![]()
This dish can also be mixed with rice and a little green vegetables, it's very delicious. Look at the effect of that egg or sugar core.
