Shanghainese meatballs with cabbage and char siu sauce over cauliflower “rice”

• Grate or peel and finely chop the ginger.
• Finely chop, press, or grate the garlic. 
• Trim the root ends from the scallions. Finely chop the white parts of the scallions for the meatballs; thinly slice the green parts on the diagonal for garnish.
• Cut a small corner from the ground meat packaging and drain off any excess liquid. Transfer to a plate; pat dry with a paper towel.

In a large bowl, using a fork or whisk, blend the egg with the ginger, garlic, and white parts of the scallions. Add the meat, season generously with salt and pepper, and mix until just combined. Set the bowl in the freezer for 10 minutes to firm up the mixture. Meanwhile, prepare the cauliflower “rice.” 

In a wok or large sauce pot over medium-high heat, warm 1 to 2 teaspoons oil until hot but not smoking. Add the cauliflower “rice,” season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the cauliflower starts to soften, 3 to 5 minutes [4 to 6 min]. Transfer to a medium bowl and cover to keep warm. Wipe out the pan. Meanwhile, prepare the cabbage.

• Cut away any core from the cabbage; cut the cabbage crosswise into thirds and separate the leaves. 

Remove the meat mixture from the freezer. Using wet hands, form the mixture into 8 [16] meatballs, each about 1½ inches wide. 

In the same pan used for the cauliflower “rice,” warm 1 to 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Add the meatballs and cook, turning occasionally, until lightly browned but not yet cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and stir in the char siu sauce base and ½ cup [1 cup] water. Place the cabbage leaves around the edges of the pan, cover, and cook, stirring the meatballs occasionally, until the cabbage is tender and the meatballs are cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from the heat and season to taste with salt and pepper. 

Transfer the cauliflower “rice” to individual bowls and top with the meatballs, cabbage, and char siu sauce. Garnish with the green parts of the scallions and serve.