Fried Shrimp Balls
A classic dish from Northeast China, made by pounding large shrimp and pork fat into a paste, shaping into balls, and deep-frying. The result is attractively formed with a fragrant, tender, and succulent texture.
Ingredients
Shrimp (remove heads, tails, and shells, devein along the back, and rinse)
300 g
Egg whites (beat in a soup plate with chopsticks until frothy)
2
Fatty pork (cut into thin slices)
50 g
Lard (use rendered pork lard)
to taste
Cornstarch (added to the egg white mixture)
to taste
Fine salt (seasoning)
to taste
Shaoxing wine (seasoning)
to taste
MSG (seasoning)
to taste
Sichuan peppercorn water (seasoning)
to taste
Chicken broth (to mix the shrimp paste)
to taste
Sichuan peppercorn salt (dipping)
to taste
Instructions
1
Prepare the shrimp paste
Remove the heads, tails, and shells from the shrimp, devein along the back, and rinse with water. Cut the fatty pork into thin slices, then place together with the shrimp and pound into a paste using the back of a knife. Add the chicken broth, fine salt, MSG, Shaoxing wine, and Sichuan peppercorn water, and mix until evenly combined. Beat the egg whites in a soup plate with chopsticks until frothy, stir in the cornstarch, then fold this mixture into the shrimp paste and mix again until smooth.
2
Deep-fry
Place the lard in a wok or ladle and heat until about 40% hot (around 120 °C / 250 °F). Squeeze the shrimp paste into small balls, lower them into the oil with a small spoon, and fry until pale golden. Remove and arrange on a plate to serve.
