Lion's Head Meatballs with Turkey

Traditionally deep-fried and made with pork, this iconic Chinese classic becomes a protein-dense, light comfort meal through the use of lean turkey and oven-sealing.

Ingredients

Calories next to each ingredient are for that ingredient across the whole recipe (4 servings), not per serving.

• 700 g (24.7 oz) ground turkey · 1036 kcal in the whole recipe
• 1 egg (50 g / 1.8 oz) · 72 kcal in the whole recipe
• 15 g (0.5 oz) fresh ginger, finely grated · 12 kcal in the whole recipe
• 50 g (1.8 oz) green onions, finely chopped · 16 kcal in the whole recipe
• 12 g (3 cloves) garlic, minced · 18 kcal in the whole recipe
• 20 g (2.5 tbsp) cornstarch · 76 kcal in the whole recipe
• 32 g (2 tbsp) low-sodium soy sauce · 18 kcal in the whole recipe
• 13 g (1 tbsp) sesame oil · 115 kcal in the whole recipe
• 500 g (17.6 oz) napa cabbage, chopped into large pieces · 80 kcal in the whole recipe
• 100 g (3.5 oz) fresh shiitake mushrooms, sliced · 44 kcal in the whole recipe
• 800 g (3.4 cups) low-sodium chicken broth · 48 kcal in the whole recipe
• 15 g (1 tbsp) rice vinegar (or white vinegar) · 3 kcal in the whole recipe

Method

1. In a bowl, mix ground turkey, egg, grated ginger, half of the green onions, minced garlic, cornstarch, half of the soy sauce, sesame oil, and a pinch of ground white pepper in one direction until sticky, then shape into 4 large meatballs.

   

2. Arrange the meatballs on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake in a preheated oven at 200°C (400°F) for 15 minutes until lightly browned.

   

3. In a deep pot, layer the chopped napa cabbage and sliced shiitake mushrooms on the bottom.

   

4. Place the baked meatballs over the vegetables, pour in the chicken broth, remaining soy sauce, and vinegar, then bring to a gentle boil.

   

5. Cover with a lid and simmer over low heat for 20-25 minutes until the cabbage is soft and meatballs are tender, then garnish with remaining green onions to serve.

   

A Besly kitchen recipe — portions, macros and step photos by Besly.