Thursday is Chinese New Year. This is a food holiday for my family, one that we love to celebrate. Our dishes this year will be:

Scallop & Shrimp Dumplings with Ginger-Garlic Dipping Sauce
Lionhead Meatballs
Long Life Noodles
gingered broccoli

and a recipe for you to try:

Lion's Head Meatballs
Makes 10 meatballs, for 5 main-dish or 10 appetizer servings

Ingredients 1 cup light coconut milk
2 ½ tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 pound lean ground pork or beef
½ cup chopped scallions
¼ cup minced leek, white and pale green part only
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh ginger
2 teaspoons seeded and minced fresh chile pepper
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground white pepper
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium head Boston or iceberg lettuce
¼ cup chopped fresh basil or Thai basil
1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon zest

1. Combine coconut milk, soy sauce and curry powder in a large saucepan. Set aside.

2. Place pork (or beef), scallions, leek, cornstarch, flour, sesame oil, ginger, chile, salt and pepper in a large mixing bowl. Knead by hand until thoroughly combined and the mixture becomes sticky. Divide into 10 equal portions, about 1/4 cup each. Roll each portion into a ball.

3. Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, swirling to coat the sides. Add the meatballs and cook, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels.
4. Bring the coconut-milk mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs; cover, reduce heat to low and cook for 8 minutes.

5. Line a serving bowl with lettuce leaves. Arrange the meatballs on top. Garnish with basil and lemon zest. Serve hot with the coconut-milk sauce drizzled over the top or on the side for dipping.

Per meatball: 115 calories; 7 g fat (3 g sat, 1 g mono); 26 mg cholesterol; 5 g carbohydrate; 10 g protein; 1 g fiber; 297 mg sodium; 83 mg potassium.