Governor's Silver Spear

Governor's Silver Spear

　　Cao Cao’s million-strong army pressed in on the border, issuing a proclamation to persuade Sun Quan of Eastern Wu to surrender and join forces against Liu Bei. Within Eastern Wu, apart from Lu Su who advocated for war, most others favored surrender, leaving Sun Quan undecided. The situation was critical. Zhuge Liang personally traveled to Eastern Wu to explain the pros and cons and to secure an alliance between Sun and Liu to resist Cao Cao. Governor Zhou Yu was a key figure. Lu Su led Zhuge Liang to see him. Zhou Yu hosted a banquet but avoided discussing resistance against Cao Cao. Zhuge Liang deliberately quoted lines from Cao Zhi’s “Ode to the Bronze Sparrow Platform” and twisted their meaning, claiming that after conquering Eastern Wu, Cao Cao would take the Two Qiaos as concubines, thereby provoking Zhou Yu. Upon hearing this, Zhou Yu flew into a rage, stood up, pointed north, and cursed: “The old villain insults me too much — Zhou Yu has long resolved to resist Cao Cao!” Zhuge Liang, puzzled, asked, “What proof is there?” Zhou Yu pointed to a dish of shrimp on the table and said, “The weapons have left the armory.” Zhuge Liang picked up a large shrimp with his chopsticks and burst out laughing: “What a fine Governor’s Silver Spear!” The dish became associated with the name of the person who spoke it, and since it came from Zhuge Liang’s mouth, “Governor’s Silver Spear” has been passed down ever since.

　　Ingredients: 14 fresh shrimp, 400g bamboo shoots.

　　Seasonings: 5g fine salt, 10g each of scallions and ginger, 3g monosodium glutamate, 5g cooking wine, 3g ground pepper, 20g wet starch, 50g dry starch, 100g breadcrumbs, 2 eggs, 50g first-stock broth, 1000g peanut oil (about 50g used).

　　Preparation method:

　　1. Shell the shrimp, leaving the tails on. Make a slit along the back, flip the tail out through the slit, season with scallion, ginger water, and other seasonings. Coat with starch, dip in egg, then roll in breadcrumbs to form a pagoda shape.

　　2. Boil the bamboo shoots in water until cooked, arrange them in a bowl, add seasonings, steam until done, then invert onto a round plate.

　　3. Heat peanut oil in a pan to 60% heat, add the pagoda shrimp, deep-fry until golden brown, then remove and arrange around the bamboo shoots.