Red braised lion's head meatballs

Freeze the pork belly and partially defrost it so it is easier to work with, and sharpen the cleaver.

Slice the belly into slabs, then flip them lean side down so the slippery fat is not against the board, and dice to soybean size.

Run the cleaver over the diced meat for a couple of minutes, folding it over and chopping, until the pork bits stop flying and stick together. This is not to grind it.

Put the meat in a big mixing bowl with 100 g of diced baby bamboo shoots.

Season with 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp oyster sauce, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp sugar and freshly ground white pepper to taste, mix well and set aside.

For the aromatic water, smash and dice one scallion, half a tablespoon of ginger and two cloves of garlic into a blender with half a teaspoon of Sichuan peppercorns and half a cup of water, and blend to a puree.

Pass it through a sieve to remove stubborn bits.

Mix 5 tbsp of cornstarch into the aromatic liquid.

Pour the mixture into the pork in batches, stirring in one direction until each addition is absorbed, then keep whisking in one direction another four to five minutes to develop the texture.

Divide the meat into seven and shape each by tossing it hard between your hands to drive out air pockets; make them fist sized, not small, or they dry out when browned.

Gather half a tablespoon of Sichuan peppercorns, half a cinnamon stick, half a star anise, two bay leaves, two scallions cut into two inch strips, 5 to 6 slices of ginger and 4 to 5 crushed peeled garlic cloves.

Drizzle one and a half tablespoons of oil into a clay pot, add two tablespoons of sugar, turn the heat to low and stir constantly, watching the bubbles rather than the colour, to caramelize it.

Toss in all the aromatics and stir a couple of minutes until fragrant, then pour in 2.5 cups of water and bring to a boil.

Add 2.5 tbsp soy sauce and a quarter cup of Chinese cooking wine; keep the soup a little less salty than normal because the meatballs are already seasoned and the liquid will reduce.

Move the clay pot off the stove and brown the meatballs: deep fry at 380F on medium heat for three to five minutes, using a heat-proof silicone spoon to hold the shape, only to get a golden brown outside.

Variation: an air fryer at 400F for five to six minutes, or a pan fry, which flattens some surfaces and colours less evenly.

Transfer the browned meatballs into the braising liquid immediately, since the insides are still raw and they will crack and leak if they sit.

Put the clay pot back on the stove, bring to a boil, turn the heat to the lowest and simmer one hour, adding a drizzle of dark soy sauce for colour.

Blanch baby bok choy in boiling water with a teaspoon of salt and a drizzle of vegetable oil: stems for 30 seconds, then the leafy parts for less than 10 seconds, without waiting for the water to return to a boil.

Arrange the bok choy around the bowl.

Move the meatballs with a rounded silicone utensil, remove the spices with a sieve and pour the soup over. Sprinkle diced scallion on top as a garnish.