Serves 6

“Lion’s head’’ is a slow-braised, oven-baked stew from Eastern China, traditionally made with ground pork meatballs and Napa cabbage. For a leaner, quicker version, use ground chicken or turkey with baby bok choy and cook it on top of the stove.

2 pounds ground dark-meat chicken

4 scallions, finely chopped

1 piece (2 inches) fresh ginger, finely chopped

6 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce

¾ cup rice wine or sake

2½ teaspoons sesame oil

2 tablespoons cornstarch

2 pounds baby bok choy, stem ends trimmed

3 tablespoons canola oil

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

4 cups chicken stock

Salt and black pepper, to taste

1. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. In a bowl, combine the chicken, scallions, ginger, 5 tablespoons of the soy sauce, 2 tablespoons of the rice wine or sake, sesame oil, and cornstarch; mix well. Dip your hands into a bowl of cold water and shape the chicken mixture into 6 even-size ovals. Set them on the parchment.

3. Cut the bok choy in half lengthwise, or quarter if they are very thick. In a bowl cover the bok choy with cold water; soak for 10 minutes. Drain into a colander.

4. In a large flameproof casserole over medium-high heat, heat 2 tablespoons of the canola oil until shimmering. Working in batches, cook the chicken balls in one layer for 4 minutes on a side, or until golden. Transfer to a plate, and cook the remaining balls the same way. Lower the heat, return all the chicken balls to the pan, cover, and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, or until they are cooked through. Transfer to a plate.

5. Reheat the casserole over medium-high heat and add the remaining 1 tablespoon canola oil. When it is very hot, add the bok choy, garlic, and remaining rice wine or sake. Stir-fry for 1 minute. Add the chicken stock and return the chicken to the pan. Bring to a boil, partially cover the pan, and lower the heat. Simmer for 3 minutes, or until the bok choy is tender. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon soy sauce and cover the pan. Cook 1 minute more. Taste for seasoning and add more salt, if you like. Skim the top to remove any impurities. Nina Simonds

Nina Simonds can be reached at spoonfulofginger@gmail.com.