'Lion head' meatballs

For ➍ (or ➊➋ balls)
 meatballs: 
500 beef minced 
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped 
2 tbs grated fresh root ginger 
2 spring onions, finely chopped 
pinch sea salt 
1 tbs Shaoxing rice wine or dry sherry* 
2 tbs light soy sauce* 
1 tbs toasted sesame oil*
1 free-range egg, beaten* 
1 tbs cornflour 
pinch ground white pepper 
  finished dish: 
10 cl groundnut oil** 
75 cl vegetable stock**
300 g Chinese cabbage, quartered lengthways 
3 dried Chinese mushrooms, soaked in warm water for 15 m, then drained (alternative: use fresh chestnut mushrooms, sliced) 
1 tbs light soy sauce** 
1 tbs cornflour, mixed with 2 tbs cold water (optional) 
sea salt & ground white pepper 
2 large spring onions, sliced dash sesame oil 

Place all of the meatball ingredients into a large bowl and stir to combine. With damp hands, take a large mound of the minced meat mixture and mould into a ball that is a little larger than a golf ball. Place on a plate and repeat with the remaining meatball mixture. 
For the finished dish, pour the groundnut oil into a large deep pan and heat over a high heat. Using a metal ladle, carefully lower each meatball into the oil and spoon some of the oil over the meatballs. 
Cook for 4-5 m, or until golden-brown all over. 
Pour all but 2 tbs of the cooking oil out into a heatproof bowl. Add the stock to the pan and arrange the slices of Chinese cabbage around the meatballs, curving them around the sides of the pan lengthways, then add the mushrooms and soy sauce and bring to the boil. Cover the pan, reduce the heat and cook gently for 15 m.* 
If the sauce is too thin**, add the cornflour paste and stir until thickened. Take the meatballs off the heat and season, to taste, with sea salt and ground white pepper. Transfer to a serving dish, garnish with the spring onions, sprinkle over a dash of sesame oil and serve immediately. 
Serve with sticky white rice. 
 
*Use less liquids for firmer balls. Add some panko if needed. Alternatively, pre-cook the meatballs in the oven; arrange in a casserole dish, cover with kitchen foil and cook in a preheated oven at 100°C for 30 m.
**Use less liquids for a denser sauce. Eventually, add the cornflour mix. Or thicken the sauce in the pan, after removing the meat and vegetables