Stir-Fried Scallops in a Basket
Submitted by lets eat
Scallops stir-fried with bamboo shoots, carrots, and snow peas in a ginger-gin sauce, served inside a crispy deep-fried potato basket. A Chinese banquet showpiece you can pull off at home.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
10 minCOOK
30 minREADY
40 minThis is the dish that makes the whole table go quiet for a second before reaching for their chopsticks.
Scallops barely kissed by hot water get stir-fried with bamboo shoots, carrots, and snow peas in a savory sauce spiked with gin, white pepper, and soy.
But the real showstopper is what holds it all: a golden, lacy basket made from shredded potatoes, deep-fried between two wire strainers until impossibly crisp.
Set that basket on a nest of shredded lettuce, pile in the scallops, and you’ve got a centerpiece that belongs on a banquet table.
Chef Tips
- Soak the shredded potatoes in cold salted water for 30 minutes to remove excess starch. This is what makes them crisp up instead of turning gummy in the oil.
- Dust the drained potatoes with cornstarch before arranging them in the strainer. It acts as glue and helps the basket hold its shape.
- Double-fry the basket. The first fry at medium heat sets the structure. The second fry at high heat right before serving crisps it to shattering.
- Blanch the scallops for only 15 seconds in hot (not boiling) water. You’re just warming them, not cooking them. The wok finishes the job.
- Work with two wire strainers or a bird’s nest fryer if you have one. Press the top strainer firmly to compact the potatoes into a bowl shape.
Ingredients
Directions
Preparation: Slice bamboo shoot across grain into 2” triangles.
Peel and slice carrots on bias.
Remove strings from peas and wash. If substi- tuting broccoli, use peeled stems only; slice thinly on bias.
Shred lettuce; arrange like nest on round 10” serving plate.
Making Potato Basket: Peel, then coarsely shred potatoes.
Or, slice potatoes into thin matchsticks.
Rinse potatoes in cold water twice; soak them 30 minutes in cold salted water; rinse and drain.
Slowly heat deep-frying oil in wok to medium hot; test potato slice: it should brown in 30 seconds.
Dust potatoes with cornstarch so they will stick together when fried.
Arrange them in a cross-hatch pattern on Chinese wire strainer or other suitable strainer to form deep basket.
Press them in position with another strainer.
If you use bowl for pressing, heat it first, because you don’t want to cool frying oil.
Immerse in oil and deep-fry until potatoes begin to brown.
Remove from oil; take away top strainer only; drain; reserve.
When ready to serve, heat oil to very hot, but not smoking; deep-fry potatoes in strainer again until they are brown and crisp.
Place basket in nest of lettuce.
Blanching: Dip scallops in hot but not boiling water; remove in 15 seconds when scallops are warmed: don`t allow them to cook.
Stir-frying: As you heat wok to medium hot, stir-fry ginger slices and garlic to flavor wok; remove when they start to brown; discard.
When wok is hot, add peanut oil and salt; stir.
Add bamboo shoots and carrots; stir-fry 1 minute.
Add stock. When stock boils, add scallops, snow peas, sugar, white pepper, gin and soy sauce.
Stir 1 minute. Add cornstarch paste to thicken.
Transfer to potato basket. Serve.
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