Shrimp With Black Beans in Lobster Sauce |
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Prep Time: 45 Minutes Cook Time: 15 Minutes |
Ready In: 60 Minutes Servings: 2 |
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This is my #1 favorite Chinese dish and it has taken me a few years to duplicate the restaurant recipes and then enhanced to my liking. This origins of this recipe comes from the Lobster Cantonese style dish (with Lobster Sauce and a Chinese-American creation) which was popular in Cantonese restaurants in North America around 1950 or so years ago. Then another variation was created using shrimp and this dish was called Shrimp in Lobster Sauce (which uses the same sauce as the Lobster Cantonese dish but no lobster meat is used). These basic recipes contained a white type of sauce and with some green peas and ground pork added. After this still another variation was created and this time using salted fermented black beans in a dark soy sauce and either Lobster or Shrimp was used. Further, for this recipe (and the other above dishes) getting the eggs to set on top of the sauce was a challenge since most home ranges can not generate a very high heat (when using a wok) for cooking. However, I was successful in getting the eggs to Set properly by using heated sesame oil. That is, getting the eggs to set by partially cooking them (slightly runny eggs) and not incorporated them completely into the sauce. Ingredients:
1 lb large shrimp, fresh |
4 teaspoons coarse salt |
2 tablespoons preserved black beans, fermented (found in asian markets, food stores) |
2 garlic cloves, minced |
2 tablespoons ginger, grated |
2 tablespoons rice wine |
1/4 lb ground pork (1/4 to 1/2 cup) |
2 tablespoons soy sauce |
3/4 cup chicken stock (optional, won ton or asian chicken powder) |
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce |
1 tablespoon oyster sauce (no sweetened version, read label on bottle) |
3 -4 tablespoons tapioca starch, powder with 3-6 tablespoons water (substitute cornstarch) |
2 eggs, slightly beaten with 2 tablespoons water |
2 scallions (spring, green onion) |
2 tablespoons peanut oil |
2 tablespoons sesame oil |
Directions:
1. PREPARATION.
2. The shrimp- Remove the shells from the shrimp and devein by cutting a slit along the back of the shrimp (removing the vein), butterfly, place the shrimp in a bowl, add 2 teaspoons of salt, mix and then rinse under cold water, add another 2 teaspoons of salt, mix and then set aside for 15 or more minutes.
3. The salted black beans- Rinse the beans briefly, place in a small bowl, add minced garlic, graded ginger, 1-2 tablespoons rice wine (2 cover) and then set aside to soak for 15 minutes.
4. The ground pork- In a bowl add the ground pork, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, mix and then set aside.
5. The stock- In a bowl add the stock, 1 tablespoon light soy sauce, 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce, 1 tablespoon oyster sauce, stir and then set aside.
6. The thickening agent- In a small bowl add the tapioca powder (or cornstarch) with water, stir and then set aside.
7. The eggs- In a small bowl add the eggs, with the water, mix lightly and then set aside.
8. The scallions- Wash and clean the scallions and cut at an angle into 1/2 inch pieces, set aside.
9. The sesame oil- In a small frying pan heat 2 tablespoons sesame oil, keep warm and then set aside in the frying pan (to be heated later and used after the eggs are added), as an option see the notes below.
10. COOKING INSTRUCTIONS.
11. In a Teflon pan (or wok) add 1 tablespoons peanut oil and when medium hot add the shrimp, stir-fry until the shrimp turns pink, do not overcook, remove and set aside.
12. Next mash the salted black beans mixture a little, then add 1 tablespoons of oil to a clean Teflon pan (or wok) and when medium hot add the salted black bean mixture, then stir-fry until it starts to release its aroma.
13. Next add the pork mixture and stir-fry until it loses its pink coloring.
14. Next add the stock and stir-fry until boiling.
15. Next re-stir the tapioca powder (or cornstarch), add to the pan and stir-fry to thicken the sauce.
16. Next add the pre-cooked shrimp and cook for about a minute.
17. While the shrimp is re-heating, heat the sesame oil until almost smoking and then set aside (in preparation to add on top of the eggs in order to set).
18. Next add the egg mixture on top of the sauce.
19. Then pour the heated sesame oil on top of the egg mixture to set/cook briefly (eggs should remain somewhat runny and do not stir the eggs into the sauce).
20. Then add the scallions.
21. Finally ladle the shrimp and sauce into a dish and try to retain some of the set egg on top for appearance. Serve and enjoy.
22. NOTES:.
23. Instead of using heated sesame oil, do not heat the oil (step # 9, 17) but add to the sauce in step #19 and stir once. Then add the eggs on top and use a cover to let steam set cook the eggs. However, this will increase the cooking time and you might overcook the shrimp.
24. Serve with white rice on the side.
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