Easy Shaoxing Shrimp Balls Recipe

For kitchen novices, they may not know where to start, but Shaoxing Shrimp Balls can help you build confidence. Its production process is not complicated. As long as you operate carefully according to the recipe, it can be completed smoothly.

What are Shaoxing Shrimp Balls

Shaoxing Shrimp Balls are a traditional famous dish in Shaoxing, Zhejiang. Its characteristic is that after the shrimp are fully stirred and beaten, they are mixed with egg liquid. During the frying process, a unique fluffy texture is formed. The appearance is golden and the inside is tender.

The two most critical steps in the production process are: First, the beating process of the shrimp. The shrimp need to be stirred until they are shredded. This can ensure the delicate taste of the shrimp. Second, the heat control and stirring skills during frying. It is necessary to coordinate the speed of pouring and stirring so that the finished product can not only maintain the deliciousness of the shrimp but also have a fluffy egg shred texture.

This dish is not only nutritious but also highly ornamental. The golden egg shreds combined with the pink shrimp are both delicious and pleasing to the eye.

Ingredients Needed and Substitutions

Main ingredients

Shrimp: As an important ingredient of the dish, it provides a tender taste and rich shrimp fragrance and is the core source of umami.

Egg: It not only enriches the nutrition of the dish, but also makes the taste more mellow after cooking. It can also wrap the shrimp to form a unique shape and flavor.

Accessories

Egg white: Helps the shrimp to be coated with slurry, making it more tender and smooth and improving the overall taste.

Seasonings

Salt: Control the overall saltiness to make the taste of shrimp and egg liquid appropriate and highlight the original taste of the ingredients.

Water starch: It has a thickening effect, making it easier for the shrimp to be coated with batter and the egg liquid to form, ensuring the shape and texture of the dish.

Pepper: Add a slight spicy taste, remove fishy smell and enhance freshness, and enrich the taste levels.

Sesame oil: Gives the dish a unique aroma and enhances the flavor.

Oil: Used for frying to make the ingredients achieve a golden and crispy appearance and ideal taste and be heated evenly.

Substitutes

Shrimp: If there are no shrimp, fresh chopped shrimp meat can be used as a substitute. Although the shape is different, it can still provide the umami and taste of shrimp.

Egg: Duck eggs can be used as a replacement. Duck eggs have a high protein content, and the yolk is larger and more oily, which will slightly change the flavor of the dish.

Water starch: Lotus root starch can be used in an emergency. Lotus root starch has a certain viscosity and can play a thickening effect similar to water starch to a certain extent.

How should shrimp be processed

Choose fresh shrimp, and it's better to peel them yourself. First, remove the black shrimp line on the back of the shrimp. It is the shrimp intestine. Keeping it is not only unhygienic but also affects the taste. Then tear off the surface fascia to facilitate subsequent beating. After processing, use kitchen paper to absorb the moisture so that subsequent seasoning and beating will be more smooth.

The beating process is also very important. Put the shrimp in a bowl, add some salt and egg white, and stir vigorously in one direction with chopsticks. Stir for 5 to 8 minutes until the shrimp becomes sticky and starts to shred. Then it will have enough toughness and the taste will be good when fried.

Finally, add water starch and continue to stir in the original direction to evenly coat the shrimp with batter. During the process, the shrimp must be kept at room temperature. It won't work if it's too wet or too cold. Otherwise, the shrimp meat will not have a gelatinous texture and the taste of the Shao Shrimp Balls will be poor.

How to judge whether Shaoxing Shrimp Balls are cooked

Judging from the color, fry them in the pan for 2 to 3 minutes. If the egg liquid turns golden yellow and the shrimp also changes from translucent to opaque pink, then the Shao Shrimp Balls are probably cooked. Pay attention and keep an eye on it. Don't let the egg liquid turn dark brown, otherwise it will be overfried.

Looking at the shape, when the Shaoxing Shrimp Balls are cooked, the fluffy egg shreds will tightly wrap the shrimp. The whole looks very fluffy. When frying, the shrimp will follow the solidification of the egg liquid and float up. When you see that the shrimp are tightly wrapped by the golden egg shreds and the egg shreds are also in a net shape, it means that it is fried well.

The most direct way is to gently pick up a piece with chopsticks and taste it. If the egg shreds are crispy and the shrimp are extremely elastic, it means the heat is just right. After frying, it must be fished out immediately and drained of oil for the best taste.

What are the taste characteristics of Shaoxing Shrimp Balls

The egg shreds on the outer layer are fried golden and fluffy, with a crispy texture. When bitten, it feels like it will almost melt in the mouth. It is a light mesh, not like that thick fried crust. It can not only protect the shrimp inside but also not steal the limelight from the shrimp. It tastes similar to the delicate egg flowers in egg drop soup, but it has more layers.

The shrimp are processed to be elastic on the outside and tender on the inside. When bitten, it is elastic. Adequate beating makes the shrimp meat delicate, smooth and tender, and also retains the original fresh and sweet taste. With good heat control, the shrimp meat is full of juice.

In general, Shaoxing Shrimp Balls are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, and the layers are clearly distinguished. The egg shreds and shrimp are perfectly matched. The fragrance of eggs and the freshness of shrimp can both be tasted. Although the cooking method involves frying, it is not greasy at all and is very refreshing.