Yu Jia Chao Xia Qiu (Fisherman’s Shrimp with Chinese Chives)
At first glance these eye-catching chile peppers look like red jalapeno. However, they have a different flavor and are less meaty than Jalapeno. Red Fresnos are great roasted and added to salsas. Try grilling them alongside your steaks or in kabobs.
When roasting these they should char, blister, and become soft. Try substituting these in your favorite chile recipes.
Ingredients:
1 pound fresh or frozen raw large shrimp, thawed if frozen
3 oz. Chinese chives
1 cup peanut oil for cooking
2 tsp. finely chopped garlic
1 Tbsp. chopped salted chiles or 1 tsp. dried chile flakes
1 fresh red Fresno chile, seeded and thinly sliced
salt
1 tsp. sesame oil
For the marinade:
1 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. potato flour
1 small egg white
Instructions:
Shell and devein the shrimp, removing and discarding the heads and legs, if necessary, then rinse and shake dry. Put them in a bowl and add the marinade ingredients. Mix well and set aside.
Trim the chives, discarding any tougher or wilted leaves (they should be pert and fresh), and cut into 11/4″ pieces.
Heat the oil in a wok over a high flame until it reaches 300F. Shake off any excess egg white from the shrimp and add them to the wok and fry briefly until pinkish but not fully cooked. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Drain off all but 3 Tbsp. of the oil and add the garlic and chopped salted chiles. Stir-fry briefly until fragrant. Add the shrimp, stirring well, followed by the vinegar.
When all is sizzling and delicious, add the chives and fresh chile and stir-fry until they are barely cooked. Season with salt to taste, then remove from the heat, stir in the sesame oil, and serve.
Recipe by Fuchsia Dunlop from Revolutionary Chinese Cookbook (W.W. Norton, 2007).