Hot-and-Numbing Shrimp

Hot-and-Numbing Shrimp

I've been thoroughly enjoying Land of Plenty, and I feel like I've only scratched the surface of this cookbook. I particularly appreciated learning about new traditional ingredients, many of which would have been hard to find when I first started trying my hand at Chinese cuisine — and even if I had found them, the available cookbooks, generally speaking, did not use them.

We've tried 20-some recipes, and there were only one or two that we did not care for (for example, the Cauliflower with Smoky Bacon, but I did overcook the cauliflower and overcooked cauliflower is less than great). So many untried recipes remain yet bookmarked with little slips of paper. Boiled Aromatic Peanuts, which Joe hopes will be similar to the peanuts we had at Chung King. And then there's the sweet corn kernels with green pepper that we are both hoping is similar to a dish we had a Sichuan restaurant in Beijing, but I'm waiting until the summer when we can get corn fresh from the harvest before trying that one. I have a few Asian eggplants in my refrigerator that will be destined for either the "dry-fried" or the "fish-fragrant" in our near future. (I've already tried the stuffed eggplant fritters.) And there's also lotus root in sweet and sour sauce, and I've never cooked with lotus root before. (We have several of those in our refrigerator right now too.) And then, because I love to see how these dishes contrast with what's found in American Chinese restaurants, there are the beef with tangerine peel and the sweet and sour pork. I tend to think of the latter, especially, as an American dish but I know it's based on dishes that are authentic to China.

So many dishes and so little time!

But there's really only so much one can (and should) share from a single cookbook! (If you've liked the look of these recipes, I encourage you to check out the book.) As a final (for now) farewell to Land of Plenty, I will give with this one last recipe because it would seem cruel to leave only the picture...

The above shrimp were adapted from her "Hot-and-Numbing Tiny Fish." I didn't have any tiny fish, but I did have fresh shrimp that I picked up on a lark with the idea that I'd make something with them. And they were unspeakably delicious this way, lightly crisp and with that tingling Sichuan pepper, and Joe is darn lucky that I was willing to share them.

Hot-and-Numbing Shrimp
originaly "Hot-and-Numbing Tiny Fish" from Land of Plenty by Fuchsia Dunlop

1 lb medium fresh shrimp (Dunlop specifies 1 lb frozen whitebait or frozen tiny shrimp)
3/4 C flour
peanut oil for deep-frying

Marinade
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbs Shaoxing rice wine (or medium-dry sherry)
a 2-inch piece of fresh ginger, unpeeled
2 scallions, white and green parts

Seasoning
2 Tbs peanut oil
1 - 3 Sichuanese ground chiles to taste (or 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper)
1/2 - 1 1/2 tsp ground roasted Sichuan peppercorns

Note: you will find two woks (or equivalent) helpful. Otherwise, you'll need something to drain hot oil into.

0) Roast and grind your Sichuan peppercorns, if needed.

1) Defrost fish/shrimp (or peel and devein shrimp)

2) Rub fish/shrimp all over with salt and wine. Slightly crush the ginger and scallions with the side of a cleaver (a Chinese cleaver is heavy enough to do this with one light whack) or some heavy object and roughly chop. Add them to the fish/shrimp. Leave to marinate for about 15 minutes.

3) Heat the oil for deep-frying over a high flame to about 375 degrees F. (I used a candy thermometer to monitor the temperature.) Just before it reaches the temperature, remove scallions and ginger and shake fish/shrimp dry in a colander. Toss them in the flour, making sure they are evenly coated.

4) Fry in batches as necessary until they are crisp. This can take 2 - 3 minutes per batch. I used chop sticks or a wooden spoon to separate them when they just first go into the oil. Remove and drain.

5) When all the fish/shrimp are ready, heat 2 Tbs of oil in a clean wok over a moderate flame. Add the ground chiles and stir-fry briefly, until the oil is red and fragrant. Do NOT let the chiles burn. Add the Sichuan peppercorns and mix well. Throw in the fish/shrimp and toss briskly to mix it evenly with the spices. Serve immediately.

Postscript on Land of Plenty:

This is not an exclusive list of the recipes we've tried from Land of Plenty, but here are a few others we've particularly enjoyed:
- Xie Laoban's Dan Dan Noodles, a sesame paste version of this dish that uses beef instead of pork. (And is even tastier!)
- Dry Fried Beef Slivers
- Ma po dou fu, made with beef and leeks in this version and as numbing (or not) as you like with Sichuan peppercorns
- Strange flavor chicken, another sesame paste-based dish served cold
- Dry Fried Green Beans
- Ants Climbing a Tree. I've tried several versions of this hearty dish commonly found in traditional home cooking. Dunlop's version is a bit spicier than others I've made.

Comments

[Rachel]

Those look so good. They don't even look hot and spicy. I love shrimp and the spicer the better.

That book sounds like a keeper. I just started going through Revolutionary Chinese Cooking which focuses on Hunan cuisine. It would be interesting to compare both.

[Rachel]

I just realized the Revolutionary Chinese Cookbook i mentioned above is also by Fuchsia Dunlap, the same author of Land of Plenty.

[Kitchen Chick]

Rachel: You're right. They were surprisingly not very spicy, though I think I could make them spicier.

We have the Hunan one, too, and have about twenty or so recipes earmarked for trial. I'm looking forward to trying a Hunan version of Ma Po Dou Fu.

[Barbara]

We love Land of Plenty! The Ma po dou fu is one of our favorite dishes as well as the pan fried dumplings (can't recall the actual name of the recipe). I have to get her new book, Revolutionary Chinese Cookbook.

[Francis]

it was fun to meet the kitchen chick on 2/22 at everyday cook' she sure can mince these shallots

[Kitchen Chick]

Barbara: We're enjoying her new book. Hunan cuisine uses a lot of fermented black beans, which I really like.

Francis: Enchantée de faire votre connaissance. J'espère qu'il y aura un jour quand je peux parler en français avec assurance. À la prochaine!

[Randi]

I checked this book out of the library before I bought it. I'm glad I did because I dont like spicy foods, I think I'd like the hunan one a lot better.

[Joe (Kitchen Chick's husband)]

The Hunan recipes are pretty spicy too. If you like Chinese food but don't like spicy, your best bet is to find a good Cantonese or Hong Kong style cookbook. I don't have a particular one to recommend off the top of my head, but the general Chinese ones will have quite a number of those dishes.

[Kitchen Chick]

Randi: ditto what Joe said. Hunanese cuisine does use chilis, and a number of their dishes are local takes on Sichuan versions. So definitely take a look at the book before you buy.

[Cajun Remoulade]

I was looking for a shrimp recipe for dinner tonight and stumbled across this recipe. I think I will try it out. I'm sure my family will enjoy. Thanks for sharing this great recipe