Stir-fried Shrimp with Cattail Shoots

Stir-fried Shrimp with Cattail Shoots

　　Stir-fried Shrimp with Cattail Shoots is one of the famous dishes in Zhoucheng Town, my county. Legend has it that in the 1950s, Chef Jiang Yanting from Zhoucheng made the best version.

　　The use of cattail shoots in cooking has been recorded in history as early as the Western Han Dynasty. In “Seven Stimuli,” a fu written by the Han Dynasty poet Mei Cheng, there is a line mentioning “roasted beef with cattail shoots.” The dish Stir-fried Shrimp with Cattail Shoots from Zhoucheng is said to have originated during the Guangxu reign of the Qing Dynasty, and it has a history of over a hundred years to date. Zhoucheng is located by Dongping Lake, where cattail shoots and shrimp are abundant local specialties. In the 1950s, you could buy a plate of stir-fried shrimp for fifteen cents and six dishes for one yuan, making for a rather substantial meal. Back then, Stir-fried Shrimp with Cattail Shoots was precious yet quite common. Now, due to the reduced water area, cattail shoots have become scarcer, and the status of this dish has also risen.

　　The method for making Stir-fried Shrimp with Cattail Shoots is as follows: take about 300 grams of tender cattail root stems produced in the ponds of Zhoucheng, about 20 grams of freshwater shrimp, 20 grams of soaked dried mushrooms, 20 grams of soaked magnolia slices, a small amount of chopped scallions and ginger. Use 30 grams of peanut oil, 10 grams of soy sauce, 2 grams of salt, 10 grams of cooking wine, 3 grams of MSG, 10 grams of prickly ash oil, and 70 grams of clear broth.

　　Cut the cattail shoots into 5 cm-long sections, and slice the mushrooms and magnolia slices.

　　Heat the peanut oil in a wok over medium heat until it reaches 50% heat. Add the chopped scallions, ginger, and shrimp, stir-fry until fragrant, then add the cattail shoots, mushrooms, magnolia slices, soy sauce, salt, cooking wine, clear broth, and MSG. Mix well, then drizzle with prickly ash oil to finish.

　　Flavor and characteristics: Crisp, fresh, tender, and delicious, cool and refreshing. Eating it has the benefits of nourishing the lungs, lowering blood pressure, and strengthening the kidneys and body.