Deep-Fried Shrimp Balls with Celery Sauce
Hand-formed shrimp balls with ginger and garlic, deep-fried until golden and drizzled with a savory celery, oyster sauce, and vodka pan sauce. A showstopping Chinese appetizer.
YIELD
8 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
20 minREADY
40 minThese aren’t your average shrimp balls. The shrimp is chopped almost to a paste, mixed with fresh ginger and garlic, then shaped by hand into tight little spheres that fry up with a satisfying snap.
But the real star here? That celery sauce.
Crisp celery stir-fried with garlic and ginger gets hit with a mix of soy sauce, oyster sauce, and a splash of vodka that tightens and thickens into a glossy, savory drizzle.
Pile the golden balls on a bed of cool lettuce, pour the sauce over top, and you’ve got an appetizer that looks like it came from a restaurant kitchen.
Chef Tips
- Chop the shrimp as fine as you possibly can. You want it almost paste-like so the balls bind together without falling apart in the oil
- Wet your hands lightly before shaping each ball to keep the mixture from sticking
- Fry only 6 at a time to keep the oil temperature steady
- The celery sauce comes together fast, so have all your sauce ingredients mixed and ready before you heat the wok
Ingredients
Directions
Devein the shrimp.
Chop the shrimp very finely, almost into a paste.
Mince the ginger and garlic; keep them separate.
Peel the tough strings from the celery stock; slice it at angle into pieces about ¼ inch thick.
In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, oyster sauce, vodka, chicken broth, and 1 tablespoon of the cornstarch.
Reserve this mixture.
In another mixing bowl, combine the shrimp with half of the minced ginger and half of the minced garlic; add the salt and the remaining tablespoon of cornstarch.
Mix well, and with lightly moistened hands form this mixture into balls about 1-inch in diameter.
Heat the oil to 350℉ (180℃) F and deep-fry the shrimp balls 6 at a time.
Drain the balls on paper towels and them keep warm.
Put 1 tablespoon of the hot oil from the deep-fry pan in a wok and stir-fry the remaining ginger and garlic until it turns golden; add the celery and stir-fry quickly for about for about a half a minute.
Add the reserved sauce mixture and stir until it thickens.
On a plate, make a bed of lettuce leaves and arrange the shrimp balls on it, pour the sauce over the shrimp balls and serve hot.
Makes 6 to 8 appetizer servings.
Comments
