Shrimp toast #3

6 Servings

Quantity Ingredient
½ pounds Shrimp
5 Water chestnuts
1 teaspoon Fresh ginger root
1 Egg
1½ teaspoon Cornstarch
1 teaspoon Sherry
½ teaspoon Salt
1 dash Pepper
4 slices White bread
Oil for deep frying

1. Shell and devein shrimp; then mince with water chestnuts and ginger root. Beat egg lightly. Mix minced ingredients and egg with cornstarch, sherry, salt and pepper; blend well.

2. Trim off bread crusts. Spread shrimp mixture evenly over bread, then cut each slice in 4 squares or triangles. (To prevent shrimp mixture from sticking to knife during spreading, dip blade first in cold water.) 3. Heat oil to smoking. Place bread, shrimp side down, on a slotted spoon; then gently lower into oil. Reduce heat slightly and deep-fry a few pieces at a time, until bread is golden (about 1-½ minutes). Turn each piece over and deep-fry a few seconds more. Drain on paper toweling. Serve hot.

NOTE: This dish, served originally at Chinese banquets, is excellent as an hors d'oeuvre or cocktail-party snack. (For best results, use bread that's at least 2 days old: it will absorb less oil.) Shrimp toast may be prepared in advance and kept warm by being placed, uncovered, on a cookie sheet in a slow (275 degree) oven. It may also be frozen, then reheated without thawing in a moderate (350 degree) oven. Leftover shrimp toast may be frozen and reheated in the same manner.

VARIATIONS: For the shrimp, substitute minced crab or lobster.

For the water chestnuts, substitute ¼ cup celery, minced.

In step 1, mince the shrimp with 1 slice ginger root and half an onion.

Omit water chestnuts. Season as above, but omit cornstarch. Then fold into mixture 2 egg whites, beaten until fluffy but not stiff.

In step 1, add to shrimp mixture 1 bacon strip, minced; or ½ scallion stalk, minced.

In step 2, cut bread in 1- by 4- inch strips (these are called Shrimp Straws).

After step 2, glaze the shrimp mixture by brushing it with more beaten egg.

After step 2, press into shrimp mixture a bit of minced ham or parsley.

From <The Thousand Recipe Chinese Cookbook>, ISBN 0-517-65870-4. Downloaded from Glen's MM Recipe Archive, .

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