At the table
Use a spoon to break off a small portion with some broth, and let it cool before eating.
Contains pork and crab. Some recipes also use egg and cooking wine; ask about allergens and watch for stray shell fragments. The broth can be very hot.
The plain version is normally not chili-hot. Sauces and seasonings vary; ginger does not determine the chili-heat rating.
GET TO KNOW THE DISH
What goes into it?
Explore some key ingredients below. Preparations may use additional seasonings and ingredients.
Water chestnut or seasonal white radish may be added. Some versions garnish the meatball with crab-leg meat; stock, binders and seasonings vary.
Typical ingredients
Recipes vary by restaurant.
How does it taste?
Savory
- Chili heat
- Texture
- Very tender.
- How it’s made
- Shape chopped pork with crab and aromatics, then stew gently.
Water chestnut or seasonal white radish may be added. Some versions garnish the meatball with crab-leg meat; stock, binders and seasonings vary.
A CONNECTION TO PLACE
Origin & regional roots
Associated with Jiangsu.
Ask if they have it first
请问你们有清炖蟹粉狮子头吗？
Do you have this item?
A LITTLE SOMETHING TO READ
Story & history
A tender Yangzhou meatball
This account describes a tradition or story, rather than an established historical fact.
This Yangzhou dish shows the Huaiyang attention to knife work and gentle cooking. Chopped pork and crab become a large, delicate meatball in clear broth. Its rounded, uneven surface suggests a lion’s head. Use a spoon to enjoy the soft meat and broth together.