Dongbi Dragon Pearls

Name: Dongbi Dragon Pearls
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Ingredients: 750 g Dongbi longan (shelled, each cut with a small slit, pits removed); 100 g Fresh shrimp meat (minced); 100 g Pork belly (minced); 15 g Rehydrated shiitake mushrooms (squeezed dry, finely diced); 100 g Cracker crumbs; 6 Egg yolks (2 for filling, 4 for batter); 100 g Flour (dry-fried over low heat until crisp); 250 g Chinese kale leaves (washed and cut into segments); 1.5 g Fine salt (1 g for filling, 0.5 g for stir-frying the kale); 1.5 g MSG; 5 g Sugar; 10 g Aromatic vinegar (small side dish); 50 g Ketchup (small side dish); 750 g Peanut oil (for deep-frying)

A signature Quanzhou specialty made with Dongbi longan from Fujian as the main ingredient. The fruit is stuffed with a seasoned meat filling, coated in flour and crushed crackers, and deep-fried until golden and crisp. Served on a bed of Chinese kale (gai lan) and accompanied by tomato sauce and black vinegar for dipping.

1h 5m

Easy

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Ingredients

Dongbi longan (shelled, each cut with a small slit, pits removed) 750 g

Fresh shrimp meat (minced) 100 g

Pork belly (minced) 100 g

Rehydrated shiitake mushrooms (squeezed dry, finely diced) 15 g

Cracker crumbs 100 g

Egg yolks (2 for filling, 4 for batter) 6

Flour (dry-fried over low heat until crisp) 100 g

Chinese kale leaves (washed and cut into segments) 250 g

Fine salt (1 g for filling, 0.5 g for stir-frying the kale) 1.5 g

MSG 1.5 g

Sugar 5 g

Aromatic vinegar (small side dish) 10 g

Ketchup (small side dish) 50 g

Peanut oil (for deep-frying) 750 g

Instructions

Make the filling

Mince the pork belly and the shrimp separately. Squeeze the shiitake mushrooms dry and finely dice them. Combine with 1 g fine salt, the MSG, and 2 of the egg yolks, and mix well into a uniform filling. Shape the filling into small balls roughly the size of a longan pit, arrange them on a plate, and steam until cooked through. Remove from the steamer and set aside.

Stuff the longan

Shell the longan, cut a small slit into each piece of fruit, and remove the pit. Insert one steamed filling ball into each longan and pinch the slit closed so the fruit re-forms around the filling, creating stuffed longan.

Prepare the coating

Beat the remaining 4 egg yolks. Wash the Chinese kale leaves and cut them into segments. Dry-fry the flour in a pan over low heat until crisp and fragrant, then remove, let cool, and mix evenly with the cracker crumbs.

Deep-fry

Place a wok over high heat and heat the peanut oil to about 70% hot (roughly 180°C / 350°F). Dip each stuffed longan first in the beaten egg yolk, then roll it evenly in the flour and cracker-crumb mixture. Carefully lower into the hot oil and deep-fry until the coating is crisp and golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and arrange on a serving plate.

Prepare the garnish

Place a wok over high heat, add 20 g of the peanut oil and heat until hot, then stir-fry the Chinese kale leaves. Add the sugar and 0.5 g fine salt, toss until evenly seasoned and just cooked, then remove and arrange around the edge of the serving plate. Serve the ketchup and the aromatic vinegar in small side dishes alongside.