Qingdao Stir-Fried Sea Snail in Oil

Qingdao Stir-Fried Sea Snail in Oil

　　   Sea snails are a deep-sea specialty of Qingdao, known for their tender and delicate flesh that’s smooth and delicious. The dish, Stir-Fried Sea Snail in Oil, primarily uses large black-shelled sea snails from the shallow waters near local Hongdao Island. It is a uniquely Qingdao delicacy, recognized as an outstanding dish in the first Shandong Province Lu Cuisine Competition and listed among the top ten representative dishes of Qingdao. The highlights of this dish are its fresh taste without being greasy, tender, smooth, and melt-in-your-mouth texture.

　　   Ingredients:

　　   1000g live sea snails in shell, 15g soaked wood ear mushrooms, 10 green onions, 1 tbsp vinegar, 1 tsp cooking wine, 2 tbsp superior stock, coarse salt, garlic, cornstarch, and sesame oil to taste.

　　   Method:

　　   1. Break open the sea snail shells, remove the meat, discard the intestinal tract and the black membrane at the head. Rub the snail meat with vinegar and coarse salt to clean, then rinse thoroughly with water. Slice the meat into very thin pieces (the thinner, the better). Cut the green onions in half lengthwise, then into 1cm segments. Slice the garlic. Halve any large wood ear mushrooms.

　　   2. In a bowl, mix the superior stock, cooking wine, salt, MSG, and cornstarch to make a sauce. Bring water to a boil, blanch the sea snail slices briefly, then immediately drain them in a colander. Quickly plunge them into hot oil that has been heated to about 80% readiness, then quickly remove and drain off the oil using the colander.

　　   3. Leave some oil in the wok, add the green onions and garlic, and stir until fragrant. Add the sea snail slices and wood ear mushrooms, quickly pour in the prepared sauce, stir-fry evenly, drizzle with sesame oil, and serve on a plate.