Crispy Fried Shredded Pastry

Crispy Fried Shredded Pastry

　　Crispy Fried Shredded Pastry, a steamed dim sum. Characteristics: savory, rich, dry and fragrant; the shredded layers are crisp and refreshing. Cooking method: steaming. This pastry can be used in two ways—when served as a midday snack, it pairs well with spicy and sour soup; when served at banquets, it can be presented alongside dishes such as steamed duck. When eating, use chopsticks to lift the part pressed under the dough, and pull upward to create shredded strands.

　　Chopped fresh lard, dried shrimp (金钩), and ham are mixed with Sichuan peppercorn powder, diced scallion whites, salt, etc., to form a uniformly blended filling paste. Roll the dough out into a 0.5 cm thick skin, then evenly spread the filling paste on top. dMV

　　Roll the dough into a cylindrical shape, cut it horizontally into 3.5 cm segments, then slice each segment into 0.5 cm wide fine shreds. Shake them apart and stretch them out, then roll them into a pancake-like shape. Steam in a bamboo basket over high heat until done. dMV

　　Key techniques: ensure the dough skin is rolled to an even thickness; keep the filling layer consistent in thickness when wrapping; shred the strands to the appropriate fineness; when rolling into pancakes, start by rolling one end, then lift and continue rolling, tucking the tail end underneath; high heat must be used for steaming. dMV