The Shun Lee Cookbook - Michael Tong [38]
¾ cup thawed frozen baby peas
1. Mix the shrimp, egg whites, cornstarch, and salt in a medium bowl. Cover and refrigerate for 45 minutes.
2. To begin the sauce, mix the rice wine, sugar, vinegar, and salt in a small bowl, and set it aside. Mix the stock, cornstarch, and 1 tablespoon cold water in another small bowl, and set it aside.
3. Heat a large wok over high heat. Add enough oil to come 1 ½ inches up the sides of the wok, and heat it to 300°F. Quickly add the shrimp in 2 or 3 additions and stir gently until they turn white, about 1 minute. 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. Return the wok with the oil to high heat. Add the scallions, ginger, and peas and stir-fry for 15 seconds Return the shrimp to the wok. Add the rice wine and cornstarch mixtures, and stir-fry until the sauce thickens, about 20 seconds. Serve immediately.
ONE OF THE EARLIEST SICHUAN DISHES introduced to the United States, this recipe combines spicy, sweet, and sour. It also includes tree ears, a black fungus that the Chinese believe will lower cholesterol. In Sichuan, the heat level is increased by using hot chili oil to cook the garlic and scallions, but our recipe provides plenty of spice without provoking tears. Makes 4 servings
Sichuan Shrimp
12 colossal or jumbo shrimp (about 1 ¼ ounces each), peeled and deveined
¾ cup plus 1 teaspoon cornstarch
Salt
Sauce
2 ½ tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
2 tablespoons rice wine or dry sherry
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons hot bean paste
1 teaspoon cornstarch
Vegetable oil, for passing through
⅓ cup sliced canned bamboo shoots (cut before measuring into ¼-inch-thick strips about 2 inches long and 1 inch wide)
8 scallions, white part only, trimmed and sliced diagonally into ¼-inch pieces
10 dried red peppers
5 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced ⅛ inch thick
¼ cup tree ears, soaked in hot tap water until softened, drained and cut in half
1 teaspoon dark sesame oil
1. Combine the shrimp, the 1 teaspoon cornstarch, and a pinch of salt in a medium bowl. Mix well, and rinse the shrimp under cold running water. Drain, and pat them dry with paper towels. Mix the remaining ¾ cup cornstarch with a pinch of salt in a medium bowl. Dip the shrimp, one at a time, into the cornstarch, coating them thoroughly. Place the shrimp on a platter, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, to begin the sauce, mix the sugar, vinegar, rice wine, soy sauce, and hot bean paste in a small bowl. Dissolve the cornstarch in 2 tablespoons cold water in another small bowl. Set both bowls aside.
3. Heat a large wok over high heat. Add enough oil to come about 1 inch up the sides of the wok, and heat it to 325°F. Add the shrimp one at a time, taking care that they don’t stick together, and stir gently until they turn white, about 40 seconds. Add the bamboo shoots in the last 10 seconds. Using a wide wire-mesh strainer, transfer the shrimp and bamboo shoots to a colander to drain. Discard all but 2 tablespoons of the oil from the wok.
4. Return the wok with the oil to high heat. Add the scallions, dried red peppers, and garlic, and stir-fry for 15 seconds. Return the shrimp and bamboo shoots to the wok, and then add the tree ears and the soy sauce mixture. Add the cornstarch mixture and stir-fry until the sauce thickens, about 20 seconds. Add the sesame oil at the last second. Serve immediately.
AT ONE PARTICULAR RESTAURANT in Shanghai, they serve 800 pounds of crab a day. Crab is never easy to eat from its shell, so this is a variation of an ancient Shanghai recipe, with sweet crabmeat out of the shell accented by a finish of black vinegar. Makes 4 servings
Crabmeat with Snow Peas
4 ½ hicken Stock (page 70), canned chicken broth, or water
8 ounces snow peas, trimmed, or pea shoots (see Note)
Vegetable oil, for passing through, plus 1 teaspoon
8 ounces fresh lump crabmeat,