The Shun Lee Cookbook - Michael Tong [37]
5. Heat the oil in the wok to 325°F. Add the shrimp, one at a time, taking care that they do not stick to each other. Stir gently until they turn white, about 40 seconds. Using a wide wire-mesh strainer, transfer the shrimp to a colander. Discard all but 2 tablespoons of the oil from the wok.
6. Return the wok with the oil to high heat. Add the straw mushrooms, water chestnuts, and scallions, and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add the shrimp, egg whites, rice wine mixture, and broccoli, and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Serve immediately.
THE VIVID COLORS AND TASTES of this Sichuan dish make it a perennial favorite, with pink-white shrimp swaddled in a rich, spicy but not too hot red sauce and garnished with minced scallion greens. When cooked in its place of origin, it can be searingly hot, but we use less hot bean paste than is traditional, so all of the flavors share the spotlight. If you don’t have the fermented rice, leave it out.
Makes 4 to 6 servings
Shrimp with Garlic and Scallions
1 pound colossal or jumbo shrimp (about 1 ¼ ounces each), peeled and deveined
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon cornstarch
Salt
1 large egg white
¼ teaspoon ground white pepper
Vegetable oil, for passing through
Sauce
⅓ cup rice wine or dry sherry
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
¼ teaspoon ground white pepper
1 ½ tablespoons cornstarch
¼ onion, minced
1 ½ scallions, trimmed, white and green parts separated and minced (about 2 ½ tablespoons each)
1 tablespoon peeled and minced fresh ginger
6 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 ½ tablespoons hot bean paste
2 tablespoons fermented rice, optional
1 tablespoon dark sesame oil
1. Combine the shrimp, the 1 teaspoon cornstarch, and a pinch of salt in a medium bowl. Mix well, then rinse the shrimp under cold running water. Drain, and pat them dry with paper towels.
2. Mix the shrimp with the egg white, the remaining 1 tablespoon cornstarch, the white pepper, and ⅛ teaspoon salt in a medium bowl.
3. 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. Add the shrimp, one by one, taking care that they don’t splash hot oil. Stir gently, turning the shrimp often, until they turn white, about 40 seconds. Using a wide wire-mesh strainer, transfer the shrimp to a colander to drain. Discard all but 2 tablespoons of the oil from the wok.
4. To begin the sauce, mix the rice wine, sugar, soy sauce, and white pepper in a small bowl, and set it aside. Dissolve the cornstarch in ¼ cup cold water in another small bowl, and set it aside.
5. Return the wok with the oil to high heat. Add the onion, white parts of the scallions, ginger, and garlic, and stir-fry until the onion becomes translucent, about 40 seconds. Add the hot bean paste, rice wine mixture, fermented rice if using, and ⅓ cup water, and bring the mixture to a boil, about 30 seconds.
6. Return the shrimp to the wok. Add the cornstarch mixture, the green parts of the scallions, and the sesame oil, and stir-fry until the sauce thickens, about 20 seconds. Serve immediately.
WHILE WE PREFER JUMBO SHRIMP for many recipes, here it is best to use the smallest shrimp available, or even rock shrimp. Frozen baby peas are a better choice than the average-size large peas, but you have a choice here as well: shelled frozen soybeans (edamame) are also excellent. Makes 4 servings
Sautéed Shrimp with Peas
1 pound small or medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 large egg whites
3 tablespoons cornstarch
¼ teaspoon salt
Sauce
½ cup rice wine or dry sherry
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
¼ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons Chicken Stock (page 70) or canned chicken broth
1 teaspoon cornstarch
Vegetable oil, for passing through
4 scallions, white part only, trimmed and sliced diagonally into ½-inch pieces
1 tablespoon