Lions Head
By Tante Marie's Cooking School, San Francisco, CA

Servings: 4

Ingredients:
1 lb. Ground Pork
8 to 10 Dried Shiitake Mushrooms (reconstituted)
3 Fresh Water Chestnuts (minced)
6 small bunches Bok Choy (blanched until near done)

Seasonings:
2 tbls. Ginger Root, minced
2 tbls. Green Onions (whites only, minced)
3 tbls. Rice Wine
1 tbls. dark soy sauce
1 tbls. Warm Water
1/4 tspn. White Pepper
1/8 tsp Salt
1 tbls. Cornstarch

Sauce Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup Beef Stock
1/4 cup Rice Wine
1 tbls. Light Soy Sauce
2 tbls. Dark Soy Sauce
1 tspn. Sugar
1 tbls. Green Onions (whites only, minced)
1/2 tbls. Ginger Root (finely minced)

Procedure:
1. In a small bowl, mix together the first ingredients from the seasonings. With your a hands, squeeze the ginger and scallions in the wine and water to flavor the liquid.

2. Remove the pulp and retain the liquid.

3. In a large bowl, mix together the seasoned liquid with the ground pork, mushrooms, water chestnuts and the remaining seasonings, (white pepper, salt and cornstarch). Mix together vigorously until the texture is fairly smooth and sticky.

4. Preheat a wok for deep frying. Shape the pork into meatballs the size of tennis balls. When the oil is hot, deep fry the meatballs a until they are golden brown. Be careful not to break them when frying. Carefully remove the pork from the oil and drain them on paper towels while preparing the sauce.