Title: Stir-Fried Scallops In A Basket
Categories: Chinese, Seafood
Yield: 4 Servings
12 Fresh scallops, prawns,
- chicken breast, or
- fish balls
12 sl Giant bamboo shoot
12 sl Carrot
12 Fresh snow peas -OR-
Broccoli; thinly sliced
2 c Lettuce; shredded
2 md Potatoes
1/2 ts Salt
4 c Oil; for deep frying
3 sl Fresh ginger
1 cl Garlic; crushed
2 tb Peanut oil
1 pn Salt
2/3 c Chicken stock
2 tb Gin
1/2 ts Sugar
1/4 ts White pepper
2 ts Thin soy sauce
Corn starch paste
Contrasting texture, color and appearance are hallmarks of this
impressive banquet dish.
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.
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 corn starch 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 corn
starch paste to thicken. Transfer to potato basket. Serve.
