Pan-Fried Cattail Shoots

Name: Pan-Fried Cattail Shoots
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 200 g cattail shoots (trim off roots, peel away tough outer skin and tips, cut into 6 cm segments); 25 g egg yolks (beaten and mixed with wet starch and fine salt to make a yolk batter); 25 g shiitake mushrooms (cut into thin strips); 25 g ham (cut into thin strips); 50 g starch (for preparing the yolk batter); 5 g fine salt; 15 g scallions (cut into strips); 10 g ginger (cut into strips); 150 g clear broth; 50 g peanut oil (for pan-frying)

Traditional Shandong (Lu) dish. Tender cattail shoots are coated in egg yolk batter and pan-fried until golden, with a fragrant, fresh, crispy and tender profile.

25 min

Easy

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Ingredients

cattail shoots (trim off roots, peel away tough outer skin and tips, cut into 6 cm segments) 200 g

egg yolks (beaten and mixed with wet starch and fine salt to make a yolk batter) 25 g

shiitake mushrooms (cut into thin strips) 25 g

ham (cut into thin strips) 25 g

starch (for preparing the yolk batter) 50 g

fine salt 5 g

scallions (cut into strips) 15 g

ginger (cut into strips) 10 g

clear broth 150 g

peanut oil (for pan-frying) 50 g

Instructions

Prepare the cattail shoots

Trim off the roots, peel away the tough outer skin and tips, cut the cattail shoots into 6 cm segments, blanch briefly in boiling water, then quickly remove and drain.

Make the yolk batter

Place the egg yolks in a bowl and beat them, then stir in the wet starch and fine salt to form a smooth yolk batter.

Coat with batter

Arrange the cattail shoots neatly on a plate and coat them thoroughly with the yolk batter. Cut the shiitake mushrooms and ham into thin strips.

Pan-fry

Heat the peanut oil in a wok to about 100°C (roughly 40% hot). Add the scallion and ginger strips and quickly fry them for a moment, then gently slide in the battered cattail shoots. Pan-fry over low heat until golden brown on one side, then flip and pan-fry the other side until golden.

Reduce the sauce

Pour in the clear broth and add the salt, cover and pan-fry for 1 minute. When the sauce is nearly evaporated, transfer to a plate and garnish with the ham and mushroom strips.