*slurp* du jour: MEATBALLS on STEROIDS !

Ok, I've done some reflections on my older posts and made some new predictions as well. While many predictions about nanotechnology and miniaturization have been made before, there's still much uncertainty on mass-commercialization and mass-acceptance of these technologies. I made a short-term prediction on UP-SIZING instead. Well, at least, when things get smaller(mini-, micro-, nano-), you need to look at them with BIGGER eyes. And THAT, is already one UP-SIZE! Forget the microscope, or focused-ion beam.

And while most predictions made this year, are for the coming 2007 or the next few years; my prediction made two days ago@*Star Wars* Episode 8-The Hidden Secret , came true today.
Do continue to predict what will be that secret ingredient (image posted in *Star Wars* Episode 8-The Hidden Secret). Leave comments of your predictions there, for the next battle of Iron Chef vs Copper Cook.

This is what happens when Meatballs goes on Steroids! Not those Star War Arctoids (though they are pronounced quite the same).

Yesss, yessss, yesssss, these are meatballs. Each meatball measures ~6-8cm in diameter on average. They are meatball, ok, not meat patties. So it's unusual to see them so big.

I'm eating 狮子头 - lions head!!! No, no...I'm not that lion-hearted even I've had my share of turtle soup. And I assure you...you do not need to have a lion-heart to savour lion's head. You just have to have THAT BIG mouth of that diameter!! Bwahahahahah....

So named because of the shape of the cabbage, which together with the meatball resemble a lion's head (I guess meatball makes the head, and cabbage-the mane?). My version comes with rice vermicelli, makes a good one-dish meal.

Stewed lion's head (serves ~4)
Ingredients:
-~1lb minced pork
-400g Napa cabbage, cut into 6cm lengths
-1tbsp dried shrimps, soaked in water to soften then rinsed off water
-8caps fresh shitake mushrooms,wiped with damp towels, stalks removed and caps sliced; or
dried Chinese mushrooms, soaked and diced
-crushed ginger(you can use fresh ginger if you have that)
-1 stalk scallions/spring onions, cut into small pieces
-oil for frying
-200g vermicelli(mifen,bee hoon), soaked to soften

Seasoning:
-2tbsp dark soy sauce
-1/2tbsp corn flour or egg
-1tsp ginger juice
-1/2tsp sesame oil
-2 stalks scallions/spring onions, cut into small pieces
-salt and pepper, to taste

Sauce(option, mix together):
-1tbsp dark soy sauce
-chicken stock(option)

Method:
1.Mix pork with seasoning ingredients, make into meat balls (~6-8cm diameter for each)
2.Roll in additional corn flour and deep fry in oil till brown

3.Drain and set aside, while discard the oil leaving 2 tbsp
4.Heat oil and fry ginger, mushrooms, dried shrimps and cabbage
5.Add in stock or water, simmer for 10mins, then add in the meat balls

(I purposely tried to make it look like a lion's head, but in all directions I look, it does not look like one. Maybe I was wrong to conjure that head and mane image, or I'm just not destined to be a make-up artist)

5.Add in vermicelli and simmer further for 5-8 mins
6.Thicken with sauce ingredients (Optional. By this time, the soup should be very tasty. Add the sauce ingredients if you find too bland)
7.Garnish with spring onions and serve