Shrimp and Pork with Lobster Sauce

Shrimp and Pork with Lobster Sauce

One of the defining moments of any culinary ninja's life is that instance where you find out shrimp with lobster sauce has no lobster. It could be after a 1:55am (they close at 2:00am!) mad dash to Three Happiness Chinese Restaurant, in the shadow of awkward drunken buffoons at your best friend's wedding, or it could happen with your eyes closed, in the shower, reminiscing about that awesome dinner with the fam last night...

My tongue tasted shrimp, pork, green onions, some eggy concoction...wait a second...no, no it can't be...NO LOBSTER! Waaaa? That's like saying Taco Bell doesn't use beef! Or rocky mountain oysters contain no oysters!

This blog is dedicated to the genius marketer who came up with a famous lobster dish that didn't contain lobster. And the Chinese restaurant line cook who has to explain this fact in broken English to his oh-so-ill-informed customer.

Shrimp with lobster sauce is a staple in Chinese-American take-out menus. It is a "prestige" dish in Asian weddings, along with crab fried rice, lobster in ginger and scallion oyster sauce.

The savory, gooey gravy melds well with the bouncy shrimp and minced pork.

Sometimes the pork is foregone in shrimp with lobster sauce, and you may omit it as well in this recipe. But the minced pork adds a more little substance to an already delectable dish. After all, you spent the time to imitate one of your favorite take-out dishes, why not make it more worth your while?

Flavor MVP: white pepper - you won't taste it out right, but adds that je ne sais quoi.

 

• 1/2 to 3/4 lb shrimp
• 2/3 lb peas and carrots
• 1/2 lb pork
• 3 egg whites, beaten
• 3 green onions, chopped
• 1/3 tsp baking soda
• 1 1/2 cup water
• 3 tsp corn starch
• 2 tsp veg oil
• 3 tsbl potato starch
• 2 tsp wine (sherry or shaoxing rice wine)
• 1/2 tsp sesame oil
• 1 cup unsalted chicken stock
• 3/4 tsp sugar
• soy sauce, to taste
• white pepper, to taste
• pinch of salt, 3/4 tsp for sauce
• pinch of garlic powder

1. Mix 1 cup water with baking soda and shrimp, set aside 30 minutes. Rinse shrimp with cold water thoroughly. To shrimp, add pinch of salt, white pepper, garlic powder and mix. Add corn starch, and mix. Add 3 tsp vegetable oil and mix.
2. Seasoning mixture: 1 tsp salt, 1 1/2 tsp chicken powder, 2 tsp sugar.
3. Slurry: 3 tbl corn/potato starch, 3 tbl water and mix.
4. Bring pan of water to boil. Blanch peas and carrots for 30 seconds. Remove from water. Boil shrimp for 1 minute, remove shrimp and discard water.
5. In separate pan, saute pork with a little seasoning of your choice (i.e. salt, pepper, etc.) and set aside.
6. In a wok, add 2 tsp vegetable oil. Add 3 green onions and saute for 15 seconds. Add 3 cups chicken stock. Add seasoning mixture. Add 2 tsp wine. Add slurry and bring to boil and make slimy.
7. Add pork, shrimp, peas and carrots. Add dash of soy sauce.
8. Turn off heat, then add egg white. Turn heat on and push mixture away slowly.
9. Add sesame oil, white pepper to taste.