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Crisp Noodles With Shrimp - And - Pork Sauce
(Mee Krob)
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| What You Need: |
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6 to 8 medium-sized scallions
1 pound medium-sized uncooked shrimp (21 to 25 to the pound)
Vegetable oil for deep-frying
2 eggs, lightly beaten
½ pound or 2 layers of py mei fun (rice stick noodles, see Glossary) 1each layer pulled gently in half lengthwise
¼ cup finely chopped onions
1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
½ pound lean boneless pork, sliced ¼ inch thick and then cut into strips 2 inches long and ¼ inch wide
¼ cup yellow bean paste or thick bean sauce (see Glossary)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
¾ cup sugar
¼ cup tamarind water
¼ cup fish's gravy (see Glossary)
½ cup strained fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon fresh lemon peel, cut into slivers about 1 inch long and 1/8 inch wide
½ pound fresh young bean sprouts, washed and with husks removed, or substitute 4 cups drained, canned bean sprouts, washed in a sieve under cold water
2 fresh hot red chilies, washed and seeded, one cut lengthwise into strips about 1 inch long and 1/8 inch wide and one shaped into a fringed "cap" by slicing it lengthwise at ¼ -inch intervals to within 1 inch of the top
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| How To Cook: |
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1. First make scallion "brushes" in the following way: Wash the scallions under cold running water. With a small, sharp knife, trim off the roots and cut off all but about 2 inches of the green tops, leaving firm stalks 3 or 4 inches long. Holding each stalk firmly in the center, make 4 intersecting cuts about 1 inch deep into each end. Place the scallions in ice water and refrigerate them.
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2. Shell the shrimp and devein them by making a deep incision down their backs with a small, sharp knife and lifting out the black or white intestinal vein with the point of the knife. Wash the shrimp under cold water and set them aside on paper towels to drain.
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3. Pour 4 cups of vegetable oil into a 12-inch wok and heat until the oil reaches a temperature of 350°F on a deep-frying thermometer.
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4. Scoop about a tablespoon of the beaten eggs with your fingers and, moving your hand in a circle over the wok, dribble the egg into the hot oil so that it forms a network of strands. The eggs will instantly coagulate into irregular lacy shapes.
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5. Fry for 30 seconds, then turn the egg lace gently with a slotted spatula, and continue frying for 30 seconds longer, or until golden brown. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Dip your hand in cold water and repeat the process until the remaining eggs have been fried. As you proceed, lay each batch on the towels.
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6. Raise the heat of the oil to 400°F. Drop in one piece of py mei fun; it will immediately begin to splutter and within a moment will have swelled to 3 or 4 times its original size. Fry about one minute; turn the piece gently with two spoons and fry for 30 seconds longer, or until the spluttering stops and the py mei fun browns lightly.
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7. Carefully transfer it to drain on a double thickness of paper towels. In a similar fashion, deep-fry each of the remaining 3 pieces of py mei fun and set them side by side on the towels.
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8. Pour off all but 1/3 cup of the oil and return the wok to high heat. Stirring for about 1 minute after each addition, add the onions and garlic, the pork, shrimp, bean sauce and tomato paste. Bring the sauce to a boil, then stir in the sugar and as soon as the liquids become a thick glossy syrup, begin to add the tamarind water and fish's gravy.
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9. Reduce the heat to low and, stirring occasionally, simmer uncovered for about 25 minutes, or until almost all of the liquid in the pan has evaporated and the mixture is thick enough to hold its shape almost solidly in a spoon. Stir in the lemon juice and lemon peel and simmer for 4 or 5 minutes longer until the peel is limp. Remove the pan from the heat.
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10. To assemble, place about ¼ of the py mei fun in a large, deep bowl and pour about ½ cup of the sauce over it. With two table forks, toss them together gently but thoroughly, taking care not to crush the noodles. Add another quarter of the noodles, and ½ cup of the sauce, toss them with the mixture in the bowl and repeat the procedure twice more until all the noodles and sauce are combined.
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11. Mound the mee krob on a large platter, spread the egg lace attractively over it and arrange the bean sprouts in a ring around the edge. Place the chili "cap" on top of the mee krob. Then drain the scallion brushes and garnish the platter with the scallions and chili strips.
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