[Sca-cooks] Lion's Head Soup

[Susan Fox]

I'm a little iffy about the advice to "use almond paste" only because 
most pre-pasted almonds come with sugar in, right next to the Marzipan.  
I might say to use raw almond butter from the health food store, that is 
a paste of just almonds right?  And maybe a drop of almond extract to 
fill in the flavor profile.

I would be so easy to poison, I do love the flavor of bitter almond like 
this!  o.O

Fondly, Selene


Elaine Koogler wrote:
> This is a similar recipe from "Ni Tsan and his 'Cloud Forest Hall Collection
> of Rules for Drinking and Eating'  translated by  Teresa Wang and  Gene
> Anderson.  As you may know, this is a 14th century ms from China, actually
> written/compiled by a noted painter of the time.
>
> *43.  Water Dragonlets*
>
>
>
> Chop finely two portions of lean pork meat to each one portion of fatty
> meat.  Add a little spring onion, Chinese pepper, apricot kernel paste and
> dry steamed cake powder (i.e., similar to breadcrumbs), and mix.  Moisten
> hands with vinegar and roll the dough into balls.  Cover the outside with
> real starch flour.  Boil in soup.  Take them out when they float to the
> surface.  They can be served with clear or piquant stock.
>
> 1# Ground Pork
> 1/8 cup Spring onion, finely chopped
> 1/4  tsp. Szechuan pepper
> 2 Tbsp. Apricot kernel paste (use almond paste)
> 1 Tbsp. Breadcrumbs
> Starch flour
> 1 qt. Chicken stock