Fried shrimps in the Typhoon Shelter with fried lotus sliced （避风塘炒虾）

 

Have you ever heard or ate fried shrimp in typhoon shelter?

Typhoon shelters are designated areas in Hong Kong where small to medium-sized fishing boats can take refuge from typhoons. These areas are typically found in bays or harbours.

Fishermen anchored their boats at typhoon shelters during the typhoon attack to avoid the storm and were unable to go fishing for a few days. And the fishermen simply used what they had on board and, using a unique cooking technique, produced an unexpectedly excellent dish that later became quite famous among both fishermen and tourists. I would say that the seafood from typhoon shelters is now a dish that is recognized worldwide and is offered in many Chinese restaurants in Hong Kong.

There are numerous variations of typhoon shelter shrimps, as you can find when you search for the recipe online. Some advice, fry it with douchi (fermented salty black soybeans) to add flavour to the dish. Some without the douche.  The first time I made this meal, I cooked it without douchi, worried that the douchi could overpower the flavour of the shrimps. Contrarily, the douchi will add a special flavour to the dish even though the fried garlic's main aroma was there.

The garlic flavour combines with the douchi, breadcrumbs and chilies to achieve a taste balance. The shrimp’s deliciousness will not be covered up. The shrimp shell is golden in colour and crisp. The taste is well-balanced and unforgettable. The overall dish is dry but rich in aroma, every shrimp is covered with crispy bread crumbs and garlic that enhances the overall taste of the dish.

Besides shrimp, I also use lotus root as a topping. Deep-fried lotus root and stir-fried with shrimp. Very well  matched.

Are you starting to drool over these delectable Typhoon Shelter shrimps? Let us get all the ingredients to hand and detailed instructions to get started.

 

 

INGREDIENTS

800g medium size shrimps

2 whole head of minced garlic

200g lotus root

2-3 bird eyes chili, diced

2 tbsp of douchi (fermented salty black soybeans)

1 cup orange colour breadcrumbs

 

Shrimps marinade

½ tsp salt                 

2 tsp Shaoxing wine          

 

Breadcrumbs seasoning

1 tsp salt

1 tsp sugar

 

METHOD

 

1. With a pair of scissors, trim away the sharp point head and legs of the shrimp. Then cut open the shells along the backs. Use a knife or scissors to cut a shallow slit into the meat. Devein and rinse. Marinade the shrimps simply with some salt and Shaoxing wine. Set it aside for 15 minutes.

2. Peeled and cut the lotus into thin slices.

3. Add some cooking oil to a well heated wok, add in the minced garlic, fry it over low heat, stirring frequently to ensure even cooking and prevent garlic from sticking and scorching. The garlic gently bubbled until it turned golden brown, and then the bubbling subsided until the garlic turned pale golden brown. It was readily removed using a strainer sieve. (Be careful not to let the garlic turn too brown; it will continue to cook for a short while after draining.)

4. Coated the shrimps and lotus slices with cornstarch. Shake off the excess flour.

5. Place the oil into a wok with a deep bottom, carefully add the coated lotus roots to the heated oil. Fry them in hot oil for 5 to 6 minutes or until golden brown. Double fry the lotus sliced for crispy texture.  In the same wok with the remaining cooking oil from frying the lotus slices, add the coated prawns, fry them for 3 to 4 minutes or until golden brown. Again, double fry the prawns for crispy texture.

6. Add some cooking oil to a well heated wok, add in the minced garlic and douchi, sauté until fragrance then add in the bird eye chilies followed by the breadcrumbs and the crispy fried garlic, stir fry at low heat thoroughly until all the mixtures are mixed well together.  Add in the seasoning. The characteristic of this typhoon shelter shrimps lies in this step.

7. Add in the fried shrimps and lotus sliced to the breadcrumb’s mixture, stir well until everything is incorporated. It doesn’t take too long to stir the shrimp and the lotus sliced, because both have already been fried, just let the shrimp and lotus sliced be covered with bread crumbs. Fried shrimps in the Typhoon Shelter with lotus sliced are ready to serve. ENJOY!!