The First Dish Under Heaven

Name: The First Dish Under Heaven
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 200 g Large shrimp (rinsed and drained); 100 g Cooked shredded chicken; 100 g Rice crust (dried or baked); 500 g Chicken broth; 100 g Tomato paste; 1000 g Peanut oil (only a small amount actually used, for frying the rice crust); 25 g Cornstarch slurry; 10 g Dry cornstarch (for coating the shrimp); 1 Egg white (for coating the shrimp); 2.5 g Fine salt (used in stages); 25 g Shaoxing wine; 50 g Sugar; 1.5 g MSG; 10 g White vinegar; 10 g Sesame oil

This famous traditional Suzhou-Wuxi dish, known as The Best Dish Under Heaven, pairs crispy fried rice crust with a slow-simmered chicken and shrimp braising sauce. The two components are brought to the table together; pour the hot sauce over the crust immediately for a signature sizzling crackle.

25 min

Easy

0 favorites

Ingredients

Large shrimp (rinsed and drained) 200 g

Cooked shredded chicken 100 g

Rice crust (dried or baked) 100 g

Chicken broth 500 g

Tomato paste 100 g

Peanut oil (only a small amount actually used, for frying the rice crust) 1000 g

Cornstarch slurry 25 g

Dry cornstarch (for coating the shrimp) 10 g

Egg white (for coating the shrimp) 1

Fine salt (used in stages) 2.5 g

Shaoxing wine 25 g

Sugar 50 g

MSG 1.5 g

White vinegar 10 g

Sesame oil 10 g

Instructions

Marinate the shrimp

Rinse the large shrimp thoroughly and drain well. Place them in a bowl, add 0.5 g of the fine salt and the egg white, then mix in the dry cornstarch until the shrimp become sticky and coated.

Make the chicken-and-shrimp sauce

Heat a wok over high heat, pour in the chicken broth, and add the marinated shrimp, cooked shredded chicken, the remaining 2 g fine salt, Shaoxing wine, sugar, MSG, and tomato paste. Bring to a boil, thicken with the cornstarch slurry, then stir in the white vinegar and drizzle in the sesame oil to finish the chicken-and-shrimp sauce.

Fry the rice crust

Heat the wok again over high heat with the peanut oil until it reaches about 70% hot (around 190°C / 375°F). Add the rice crust and fry until crisp and golden, then transfer to a serving bowl. Meanwhile, pour the hot chicken-and-shrimp sauce into a second serving bowl.

Finish and serve

Bring both bowls to the table at once. Pour the sizzling sauce over the crisp rice crust at the table — the dramatic sizzle is the signature of this dish. Serve immediately.