Stewed lion's head

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

Tag: stew, minced pork, cabbage, stewed lion's head