Shrimp Cakes In Chinese Style

SHRIMP CAKES IN CHINESE STYLE

Shrimp cakes are on the menu at this restaurant. This is a common home-cooking meal in coastal cities in China, where shrimp are easy to get by.

The sweetness and crunchiness of the prawns must be preserved if the cake is successful.

Since frozen shrimp are immediately frozen in their freshest form, and you can never go wrong with them, I like to use them.

Always keep in mind that refreeze defrosted shrimp will turn mushy.

IDEAS AND TECHNIQUES FOR COOKING

If you have access to high-quality shrimp, there are other ways to prepare shrimp cakes other than the one described here. Here are a few tips to get you started on your shrimp cake creations:

• To enhance the flavor of your shrimp, you can include ginger, scallions, and cilantro in Chinese cookery.
• It’s important to preserve the shrimp’s natural flavor, so don’t go crazy with the heavy seasonings.
• Cooking carrots and water chestnuts in this recipe ensure that the shrimp cakes don’t disintegrate during pan-frying because they release little or no liquid when cooked. As with any “dry” vegetable, you must blanch and thoroughly press out any liquid before slicing into the shrimp combination if you want to use a leafy green.
• When whipping the shrimp with vegetable ingredients, take your time. This will ensure that the resulting shrimp cakes have a crispy, light texture.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 lb. of shrimp(450g, thawed, peeled and deveined)
• 1 pc. of small carrot (about 50g)
• 5 water chestnuts (minced, freshly peeled or from a can)
• 1/4 cup of cilantro (finely chopped)
• 1 tsp. of ginger (grated)
• 2 tsp. of Shaoxing wine
• ½ tsp. of salt
• 1/8 tsp. of ground white pepper
• 2 tsp. of oyster sauce
• 1 tsp. of sesame oil
• ¼ tsp. of sugar
• 1 tsp. of cornstarch
• 1 egg white
• 3 tbsp. of oil (for pan-frying)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. The shrimp should be patted dry with a paper towel. Using the side of a knife, lightly “smash” them and then coarsely chop them. It’s a good idea to avoid minced shrimp that is too small.
2. Cut a 50-gram carrot in half lengthwise and then crosswise, then cook the halves for 2 minutes in boiling water to soften them somewhat. Finely chop the blanched carrots after draining them.
3. Toss together the shrimp, carrot, water chestnuts, 1/4 cup cilantro, 1/4 teaspoon grated ginger, 2 teaspoons Shaoxing wine, 12 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper, 2 teaspoons oyster sauce, 14 teaspoon sesame oil, 1/4 teaspoon sugar, 1/4 teaspoon cornstarch, and 1 egg white in a large mixing bowl. Mix well. For 5 to 10 minutes, process all ingredients in a single direction in a food processor. Using a rubber spatula, you should be able to assemble it into a single ball that is smooth and cohesive.
4. Using a nonstick or cast iron pan, heat the pan to medium-high heat. The pan should be taken out of the fire as soon as it begins to smoke and put away. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add 2 tablespoons of oil. Form a ball out of a heaping spoonful of the shrimp mixture and roll it in your hands. This can be done with lubricated hands as well.
5. Place it in the pan and flatten it into a disc using your hands. Brush the spoons with some oil to prevent them from sticking.
6. 3 minutes on each side for golden browning in a pan. When pan-frying, add the final tablespoon of oil if necessary.