Freshwater Reed Shoots with Shrimp

Freshwater Reed Shoots with Shrimp

　　【Freshwater Reed Shoots with Shrimp】A traditional dish from Dongping County. Legend has it that during Emperor Qianlong’s southern inspection tour, when he stayed in the region, the local magistrate served him “Freshwater Reed Shoots with Shrimp” and “Jade Pearl Soup,” both of which greatly pleased the emperor, and the dish subsequently gained great fame.

　　The main ingredients of Freshwater Reed Shoots with Shrimp are freshwater reed shoots and shrimp. The freshwater reed shoots are the tender white root cores of the reeds growing in the ponds and Dongping Lake near the county town; the shrimp are fresh, headless and shelled prawns. Various types of shrimp found in Dongping Lake—such as rice shrimp, grass shrimp, white shrimp, and lobsters—can be used, but white shrimp and lobsters are considered the best. The preparation of Freshwater Reed Shoots with Shrimp has long been most famously associated with several restaurants in Zhoucheng Town, Dongping County, such as “Jingchunyuan” and “-Ju.” In modern times, renowned chefs like Meng Guangxin and Liu Xuecen were considered the most skilled. After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, they trained many apprentices, most of whom were able to build upon their predecessors’ techniques while also developing their own innovations.

　　The cooking method is as follows: take one jin (500g) of large white shrimp or lobster, remove the heads and shells to obtain three liang (150g) of shrimp meat, mix it lightly with a small amount of egg white and mung bean starch, then shallow-fry it in clear oil (or lard), or alternatively blanch it in boiling water. After frying or blanching, return the shrimp to the pan, braise briefly in clear chicken stock, then stir-fry with freshwater reed shoots, adding cooking wine, shredded ginger, fine salt, and other seasonings to complete the dish.