Yield: 4 Servings
| Measure | Ingredient |
|---|---|
| 3 | Squabs |
| ¼ cup | Soy sauce |
| 2 tablespoons | Sherry |
| Oil for deep-frying | |
| ½ | Head lettuce |
| Lemon wedges | |
| Salt |
1. With a cleaver, chop each squab in quarters. Place in a bowl.
2. Combine soy sauce and sherry, then rub into skin. Let stand 30 minutes, turning occasionally. Drain, discarding marinade.
3. Heat oil. Add squabs, a few pieces at a time, and deep-fry 1 minute.
Drain on paper toweling. Let cool slightly.
4. Reheat oil and return squab sections. Deep-fry, turning frequently, until crisp and golden. Drain again on paper toweling.
5. Cut lettuce in strips and arrange on a serving platter. Arrange squab over lettuce. Serve with lemon wedges and salt.
NOTE: The diner squeezes lemon juice over the squab, then dips each section in salt before eating. VARIATIONS: 1. In step 2, add to the soy-sherry mixture 2 slices fresh ginger root, minced.
2. In step 2, rub the squabs with soy sauce only; then deep-fry. After step 4, heat in a saucepan 1 tablespoon sugar, 2 tablespoons sherry, 2 teaspoons soy sauce, the juice of ½ lemon, and a few drops of sesame oil. When this mixture comes to a boil, add deep-fried squab sections and simmer, uncovered, 2 to 3 minutes. Garnish with lemon slices ard serve.
3. Omit steps 1 and 2. With a cleaver, chop the squabs, bones and all, in 1-½ inch squares. Then coat with a batter of ½ cup water-chestnut flour; 1 egg, beaten; ½ garlic clove and ½ scallion stalk, both minced; ½ teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons soy sauce and a dash of pepper. Deep-fry as in steps 3 and 4.
From <The Thousand Recipe Chinese Cookbook>, ISBN 0-517-65870-4. Downloaded from Glen's MM Recipe Archive, .