Chinese cuisine

Easy

Sauteed Crystal Shrimp Ball

Name: Sauteed Crystal Shrimp Ball
Prep time: 2 hr 5 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 2 h 25 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: 7 oz. Shrimp, Shell On; 4 cup A Bowl of Iced Water, Enough to Wash Peeled And Deveined And Shrimp; Marinade; 1.25 tsp. Salt; 1 tsp. Baking Soda; 0.5 cup Water; 1 count Egg White; 1 tsp. Corn Starch; 6 stalks Green Onion, Cut Into 1-Inch Pieces; 10 g Ginger, Sliced; 1 oz. Red and Green Bell Pepper, Chopped, To Taste; 2 tsp. Chef Made Assorted Aroma Oil (See ''Chef John Signature Oil'' Video); Seasoning; 1 tbsp. Shaoxing Wine, To Taste; 0.25 tsp. Salt; 0.25 tsp. Sugar, To Taste; 0.5 cup Water; 2 tbsp. Water + Corn Starch Slurry (a mixture of one part starch and 2 parts water)

Chef John Zhang

RATING LIKE SAVE PRINT

5 stars rating if you like it!

Done

Chef John shares a unique Chinese cooking technique, Velveting, to make the shrimps so deliciously silky and tender.

Recipe

PRE TIME: 2 hr 5 min

COOKING TIME: 20 min

TOTAL TIME: 2 hr 25 min

2 SERVING

Ingredients:

7 oz. Shrimp, Shell On
4 cup A Bowl of Iced Water, Enough to Wash Peeled And Deveined And Shrimp
Marinade
1.25 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Baking Soda
0.5 cup Water
1 count Egg White
1 tsp. Corn Starch
6 stalks Green Onion, Cut Into 1-Inch Pieces
10 g Ginger, Sliced
1 oz. Red and Green Bell Pepper, Chopped, To Taste
2 tsp. Chef Made Assorted Aroma Oil (See ''Chef John Signature Oil'' Video)
Seasoning
1 tbsp. Shaoxing Wine, To Taste
0.25 tsp. Salt
0.25 tsp. Sugar, To Taste
0.5 cup Water
2 tbsp. Water + Corn Starch Slurry (a mixture of one part starch and 2 parts water)

Directions:

Step 1

Peel and devein shrimp

Step 2

In a mixing bowl, add enough water, baking soda, and salt, wash deveined shrimp in this water first.

Step 3

Wash again in the iced water. (The shrimp looks more transparent after this.)

Step 4

In a mixing bowl, add shrimp, a pinch of salt, 1 egg white, a tablespoon starch, toss to mix well. Refrigerate for 2 hours.

Step 5

Velveting: in a wok over high heat, add 1 cup of oil and bring to 250°F/120°C, deep fry shrimp until shrimp curl up like balls. Remove from oil and drain.

Step 6

Return the wok to heat, add green onion, ginger, red and green pepper, sesame oil, cooking wine, a tablespoon of water, salt, sugar, and slurry to thicken, stir fry several times until mixed well and desired consistency.

Step 7

Serve hot.

Final Notes

Use frozen shrimp can save a lot of time. But for the best taste, use fresh shrimp. Repeated salting and rinsing give the shrimps a transparent-look that's said to be crystal-like. Velveting, or guo you (passing through oil) in Mandarin, is a technique that Chinese chefs use to make their meats so deliciously silky and tender. Similar to browning in French cuisine, velveting locks in the original flavor and texture of the protein before it is finished in the next cooking step.