Golden shrimp balls / Deep-fried wontons (Chinese cooking for Australians)

 

Golden shrimp balls

Makes 12 sticks

• 625 gr raw baby shrimps, peeled
• 45 gr pork fat
• 15 ml seafood marinade (click here for recipe)
•  2 ml salt
• 5 ml sugar
• 2 egg whites
• 30 ml cornflour
• Pinch of white pepper
• Deep-frying oil
• Bamboo screwers or satay sticks

Preparation

1. Rinse shrimps well and pat dry with kitchen paper.
2. Pound to a smooth paste ; very finely chop, or mince, the fat pork.
3. Mix all ingredients together, kneading until smooth and well blended.
4. To form into balls, take a handful of the mixture and squeeze out between curled forefinger and thumb ; scoop off small balls with a spoon and drop into cold water.

Cooking

1. Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil.
2. Add a little salt and drop in the shrimp balls, several at a time to keep the water bubbling ; boil until they rise to the surface, then cook for about 2 more minutes ; lift out and drain well.
3. Heat deep oil to very hot in a wok or saucepan and deep-fry shrimp balls to a light golden colour ; drain.
4. Thread several onto each bamboo skewers or satay sticks and arrange on a serving plate lined with fresh lettuce.
5. Serve with soy sauce or sweet chilli sauce.

Deep-fried wontons

Makes 25 

• 1 pack of 25 frozen roll wrappers (or 25 pieces edible rice paper)

Filling

• 250 gr pork tenderloin or boneless chicken
• 250 gr raw baby shrimps
• 30 gr canned water chestnuts or bamboo shoots, drained and finely diced
• 30 ml chopped fresh coriander 
• 1 shallot, finely chopped
• 5 ml salt
• 5 ml sugar
• 2 ml white pepper
• 10 ml cornflour
• Deep-frying oil

Preparation

1. Thaw spring roll wrappers, then cover with a damp cloth and set aside.
2. Very finely mince or chop pork or chicken ; peel shrimps, rinse well and pat dry with kitchen paper.
3. Chop shrimps very finely and mix with the meat ; mix water chestnuts or bambbo shoots and shallot with the meat and shrimps and season with coriander, salt, sugar, white pepper and cornflour ; blend together well.
4. Place a spoonful of the mixture in the center of each wrapper and gather up the sides ; press around the filling to form into a ball shapes in the center, pinching the wrappers together to form a waist with the edges of the wrapper fanning out above.

Cooking

1. Heat deep oil to medium-hot in a wok or deep saucepan.
2. Drop in wontons, several at a time, to deep-fry to a light golden colour, about 3 minutes ; lift out and drain well.
3. Arrange on a plate and serve with a sweet and sour sauce.

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