Shrimp toast (mandarin)
20 servings
Ingredients
| Quantity | Ingredient | |
|---|---|---|
| ½ | pounds | Fresh shrimp |
| 2 | ounces | Pork fat |
| 1 | Egg white | |
| ½ | teaspoon | Rice wine; or dry sherry |
| ½ | teaspoon | Salt |
| ½ | teaspoon | Fresh ginger root; minced |
| 1 | tablespoon | Cornstarch |
| 5 | slices | White bread |
| 1 | teaspoon | Black sesame seeds; or poppy |
| 1 | tablespoon | Minced ham; if desired |
| 6 | cups | Oil; for deep-frying ---peppersalt (optional)-- |
| 2 | tablespoons | Szechuan peppercorns |
| 2 | tablespoons | Salt |
Directions
Recipe by: "Roberta K. Merkle" <rmerkle@...> Shell and devein shrimp. Rinse and pat dry with a paper towel. Flatten each shrimp with the broad side of a cleaver to make chopping easier. Use cleaver to finely chop shrimp and pork fat. Combine chopped pork fat and shrimp; chop to a fine paste. Place shrimp paste in a medium bowl. Use a spooon or your hands to mix shirmp paste with egg white, wine, salt, ginger root and cornstarch; set aside. Remove crusts from bread. Cut each slice into 4 squares. Mound 1 rounded teaspoon shrimp paste on each square of bread and press gently. Garnish with sesame seeds and minced ham, if desired. Heat 6 cups oil in a wok over high to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Reduce heat to medium. Carefully lower bread squares shrimp-side down into hot oil with a slotted metal spoon. Deep-fry 4 or 5 at a time until edges of bread turn golden, about 1 minute. Turn each bread and cook other side 30 seconds. Remove from oil with slotted spoon; drain on paper towels. REpeat with remaining bread squares. Serve hot. Sprinkle with Peppersalt, if desired. Makes 20 appetizers
Peppersalt Heat a medium saucepan over medium-low heat 1 minute. Add peppercorns and stir-fry 5 minutes. REmove saucepan from heat and lett cool. Grind peppercorns into a fine powder with a mortar and pestle or pepper grinder. Add salt; mix well. Store in a tightly convered container.
Makes about ¼ cup.
>From Chinese Cookery by R. Cheng and M. Morris.