Red-cooked shrimp {hongshao xia}

1 Servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
1 pounds Medium shrimp(raw)
1 1-inch piece fresh ginger
1 teaspoon Salt
9 Cloves garlic
4 Scallions
1 tablespoon Cornstarch
2 tablespoons Water
2 tablespoons Peanut oil
1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine(preferred) or cooking sherry
3 tablespoons Peanut oil
2 teaspoons HOT pepper paste
2 tablespoons Soy sauce
½ cup Water
1¼ teaspoon Granulated sugar
1¼ teaspoon Rice wine vinegar

Directions

Sorry so long in answering this so will post to the list also. I was mistaken in that it is not in the Frugal Gourmets book but MRS. CHIANG'S " The Szechwan Cookbook - Szechwan Home Cooking". The actual recipe calls for shrimp. I will send her original recipe. I have used skinless/boneless chicken breast cut to the size of medium shrimp in this recipe with great results. Now on to the recipe:

Rinse the shrimp well under running water. Pull off their legs, but leave the shells on. Using scissors, cut a slit halfway up the back of the shell.

(This will allow the marinade & cooking sauce to penetrate the shrimp more easily.) Put shrimp on a plate. Peel the ginger, then chopp into tiny pieces, then sprinkle 1 teaspoon of the chopped ginger & the salt evenly over the shrimp, then set aside for at least 15 minutes. {1-2 hours is much better in my opinion} Peel & chop the garlic into pieces the size of raw rice.

Clean the scallions, then slice them, both the white & half of the green, crosswise into small pieces about ⅛ inch long.

Combine the cornstarch & water in a small bowl & set aside.

Cooking

Heat your wok over a moderately high flame for 15 -30 seconds, then add the 2 tablespoons of oil. It shouldbe hot enough to cook with when the first tiny bubbles form & a few small wisps of smoke appear.

When the oil is ready, add the shrimp & stir fry for 45 seconds, using your cooking shovel or spoon in a scooping motion to toss the shrimps so they are all exposed to the hot oil. Pourin the wine, cover the wok, & let the shrimp continue to cook for another 45 seconds; by that time they should have stiffened & turned a little pink. Take them out of the wok & set aside.

Wipe out the wok with paper towels, then reheat it over a moderate flame.

Pour in the fresh 3 tablespoons of oil. When it is hot enough to cook with, toss in the chopped garlic & remaining chopped ginger.

Stir fry the garlic & ginger vigorously{or they burn real fast} for 30 seconds, then reduce the flame a little & stir in the hot pepper paste, soy sauce, water, sugar, & vinegar. Return the shrimp to the wok, along with the scallions, stir. Cover the wok, return flame to moderately high & let cook for 2 minutes.

Stir the cornstarch & water to make sure it's well blended & not lumpy, then pour the mixture into the wok. Continue to stir fry until the sauce becomes thick & clear; this should only take about 15 - 30 seconds. Serve immediately.

Posted to CHILE-HEADS DIGEST V4 #128 by "Chris" <cea260@...> on Sep 18, 1997

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