Double-Flavor Vegetarian Shrimp (Yam-based)
A Jiangsu-style vegetarian dish that uses yam to mimic shrimp, served in two contrasting flavors—half savory, half tangy.
Ingredients
Yam (washed, steamed, peeled, mashed)
250 g
Tomato sauce
25 g
Rehydrated diced winter mushrooms
10 g
MSG
1.5 g
Green peas
10 g
Chopped scallion
5 g
Shaoxing wine
10 g
Dry starch
45 g
Fine salt
2 g
Mushroom broth
100 g
Wet starch (cornstarch slurry)
5 g
Peanut oil (about 100 g consumed)
500 g
Sesame oil
20 g
Instructions
1
Make the vegetarian shrimp
Wash the yam, steam until cooked, remove and peel, then mash into a paste using the flat side of a knife. Place in a bowl, add the dry starch, 1 g of the fine salt, and 0.5 g of the MSG, and mix well. Roll into long strips and shape into shrimp-like pieces. Drop into boiling water to blanch briefly, then lift out and drain.
2
Fry and cook the first flavor (savory)
Place a wok over high heat, add peanut oil, and heat to about 70% hot. Add the vegetarian shrimp and fry for about 1 minute, then pour into a strainer to drain. Leave 25 g of peanut oil in the wok, return it to high heat, add 2.5 g chopped scallion and stir-fry until fragrant, then add the green peas and diced winter mushrooms and stir-fry briefly. Pour in 50 g mushroom broth, add 0.5 g fine salt, 0.5 g MSG, and 5 g Shaoxing wine, and bring to a boil. Thicken with 2.5 g wet starch slurry, add half of the vegetarian shrimp and toss to coat, drizzle with 10 g sesame oil, toss a few more times, then transfer to one side of a long serving platter.
3
Cook the second flavor (tangy)
Return the wok to high heat, add 25 g peanut oil, add 2.5 g chopped scallion and stir-fry until fragrant. Pour in 50 g mushroom broth, add 0.5 g fine salt, 0.5 g MSG, the tomato sauce, and 5 g Shaoxing wine, and bring to a boil. Thicken with 2.5 g wet starch slurry, add the remaining half of the vegetarian shrimp and toss to coat, drizzle with 10 g sesame oil, toss a few times, then transfer to the other side of the long platter. Serve immediately.
