The Shun Lee Cookbook - Michael Tong [33]
4. Using a wide wire-mesh strainer, transfer the fish to a wire cake rack set over a rimmed baking sheet. Discard all but 2 tablespoons of the oil from the wok. Place the fish on its belly on a platter. Using a kitchen towel, cover the top of the fish and press firmly and gently to balance the fish on its belly. Remove the towel.
5. Return the wok with the oil to high heat. Add the onion and stir-fry for 10 seconds. Add the lychees, loquats, and bell pepper, and stir-fry until the pepper is crisp-tender, about 1 minute. Add the ketchup mixture and bring to a boil. Add the rice wine and salt, then the cornstarch mixture. Add the peas and stir for 10 seconds. Stir in the vegetable oil (to smooth the sauce), and cook for 10 seconds more. Pour the sauce over the fish. Sprinkle with the toasted pine nuts, and serve immediately.
IN THE 1940S, a lobster dish called Lobster Cantonese, unlike anything ever seen in Canton, was popular on the menus of New York’s Chinese restaurants. With its gooey, eggy sauce, it was never one of my favorites. My version, introduced at Shun Lee in 1980, utilizes the true flavors of Cantonese cooking and allows the sweetness of the lobster to sing out. Makes 4 servings
Lobster Cantonese with Black Beans
One 1 ½-pound uncooked lobster, cut into 12 pieces, each piece cracked (see Note)
3 tablespoons cornstarch
Vegetable oil, for passing through
Sauce
1 ½ tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice wine or dry sherry
2 teaspoons sugar
3 scallions, white parts trimmed and sliced into ½-inch pieces, green parts trimmed and sliced into 2-inch pieces
1 tablespoon peeled and minced fresh ginger
3 garlic cloves, peeled and very thinly sliced
30 Chinese fermented black beans, lightly crushed with a cleaver and minced
½ teaspoon dark sesame oil
1. Toss the lobster with the cornstarch in a medium bowl (this will seal the meat and help keep it tender). Heat a large wok over high heat. Add enough oil to come 1 inch up the sides of the wok, and heat it to 325°F. In batches without crowding, add the lobster and stir gently until the shells turn bright red, about 1 to 1 ½ minutes. Using a wide wire-mesh strainer, transfer the lobster to a colander. Discard all but 2 tablespoons of the oil from the wok.
2. To begin the sauce, mix the soy sauce, rice wine, and sugar in a small bowl, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Set it aside.
3. Return the wok with the oil to high heat. Add the white scallion pieces along with the ginger, garlic, and black beans. Stir-fry for 10 seconds. Add the lobster, then the soy sauce mixture. Stir-fry for 45 seconds. Add the green scallion pieces, and stir-fry until the sauce is glossy and the lobster is cooked through, about 45 seconds. Add the sesame oil. Serve immediately.
Note: To get 12 pieces of lobster, use a heavy cleaver to chop the body into 4 pieces, the tail into 2 pieces, and the claws into 3 pieces each. Crack the pieces of lobster. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. If you wish, have your fishmonger do this. Use the lobster within a few hours of chopping it up.
THE PRISTINELY WHITE LOBSTER TAIL and the silken fried egg white are studded with bits of color—green sugar snap peas, red bell pepper, and black tree ears. This was created as a Chinese banquet dish, but it is an excellent dinner party entree too, as the lobster tails make a very elegant presentation.
Makes 2 to 3 servings
Snow White Lobster Tail
6 thawed frozen lobster tails
1 large egg white
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
Sauce
2 tablespoons Chicken Stock (page 70) or canned chicken broth
1 tablespoon rice wine or dry sherry
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
Pinch of ground white pepper
1 teaspoon cornstarch
Vegetable oil, for passing through
6 large