Fried Shrimp Cakes

Fried Shrimp Cakes

　　A traditional famous dish from Hubei. Known as the “Province of a Thousand Lakes,” Hubei is rich in freshwater shrimp. The shrimp are bluish-white in color, with thin shells and plump, tender, and delicate meat that is flavorful and delicious when cooked. To make the fried shrimp cakes, peeled shrimp meat is minced into a paste, mixed with seasonings, and then pan-fried into small round patties. The meat is snow-white, the crust golden, and the taste exceptionally delicious.

Ingredients: 50g clean shrimp meat, 50g cooked pork fat, 50g clean water chestnuts, 50g pea sprouts, 10g minced scallions, a little ginger juice, 1 egg white, 2g salt, 1.5g MSG, 15g Shaoxing wine, 5g vinegar, 25g cornstarch, 400g lard (approximately 50g used).

Method:

1. Mince the shrimp meat to the size of mung beans, finely chop the pork fat, and crush and mince the water chestnuts. Place them together in a bowl, add the egg white, ginger juice, salt, 5g Shaoxing wine, minced scallions, and MSG. Stir until sticky, then mix in the cornstarch. Blanch the pea sprouts in boiling water, then mix with a little salt and MSG and set aside.

2. Heat a frying pan over low heat, grease it with oil, then add the lard. Use your hand to shape the shrimp mixture into 2.4cm diameter balls, arranging them neatly in the pan. Gently press each ball into a round cake shape with a spoon. Shake the pan and fry for about 15 minutes. Flip the shrimp cakes over, press them down again, add more lard, and continue frying for another 15 minutes. Add more lard and fry for about 1 minute to ensure the cakes are fully cooked (keep shaking the pan while frying to prevent sticking or burning). Transfer the cakes to a colander to drain the oil, then return them to the pan. Add Shaoxing wine and vinegar, then remove from heat and plate. Arrange the blanched and seasoned pea sprouts around the cakes to serve.

Features: Golden in color, soft in texture, rich, oily, and delicious.