Stir-fried scallops in a basket

4 servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
12 eaches chicken breast
12 eaches slices giant bamboo shoot
12 eaches slices carrot
12 eaches thinly sliced broccoli
2 cups shredded lettuce
2 eaches medium potatoes
½ teaspoon salt
4 cups oil for deep frying
3 eaches slices fresh ginger
1 each clove garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons peanut oil
1 dash salt
⅔ cup chicken stock
2 tablespoons gin
½ teaspoon sugar
¼ teaspoon white pepper
2 teaspoons thin soy sauce
1 tablespoon cornstarch paste

Directions

Preparation: Slice bamboo shoot across grain into 2" triangles. Peel & slice carrots on bias. Remove strings from peas & wash. If substituting broccoli, use peeled stems only; slice thinly on bias.

Shred lettuce; arrange like nest on round 10" serving plate.

Making Potato Basket: Peel, then coarsely shred potatoes. Or, slice potatoes into thin matchsticks. Rinse potatoes in cold water twice; soak them 30 minutes in cold salted water; rinse & drain. Slowly heat deep-frying oil in wok to medium hot; test potato slice: it should brown in 30 seconds. Dust potatoes with cornstarch so they will stick together when fried. Arrange them in a cross-hatch pattern on Chinese wire strainer or other suitable strainer to form deep basket. Press them in position with another strainer. If you use bowl for pressing, heat it first, because you don't want to cool frying oil. Immerse in oil & deep-fry until potatoes begin to brown. Remove from oil; take away top strainer only; drain; reserve.

When ready to serve, heat oil to very hot, but not smoking; deep-fry potatoes in strainer again until they are brown & crisp. Place basket in nest of lettuce.

Blanching: Dip scallops in hot but not boiling water; remove in 15 seconds when scallops are warmed: don`t allow them to cook.

Stir-frying: As you heat wok to medium hot, stir-fry ginger slices & garlic to flavor wok; remove when they start to brown; discard. When wok is hot, add peanut oil & salt; stir. Add bamboo shoots & carrots; stir-fry 1 minute. Add stock. When stock boils, add scallops, snow peas, sugar, white pepper, gin & soy sauce. Stir 1 minute. Add cornstarch paste to thicken. Transfer to potato basket. Serve.

Serves 4

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