Ingredients
300 g fresh shrimp meat, 50 g pork fat, 2 eggs, 75 g water chestnuts.
Seasonings
1000 g (about 2.2 lbs) lard, 50 g (about 1/4 cup) flour, Sichuan peppercorns, salt, ground white pepper, MSG, sesame oil, ginger, yellow chives, cilantro, and aromatic vinegar, all to taste.
Instructions
1. Rinse the shrimp meat clean, drain thoroughly, and chop into a shrimp paste; dice the water chestnuts, pork fat, and yellow chives into small pieces, add Sichuan pepper, MSG, salt, and white pepper; grate the ginger into a paste; mix the egg whites with the shrimp paste until well combined, then add the flour and stir into a filling mixture.
2. Heat a wok over medium heat and add lard, warming it to about 30-40% hot (around 120-140°C/250-280°F). Using a spoon, shape the filling into jujube-date shapes about 3 cm (1.2 inches) in diameter, then gently drop them one by one into the wok. Fry slowly in the moderately hot oil until fully cooked through and the skin turns golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain off the lard.
3. Stir-fry the sesame oil, white pepper, and shrimp jujubes together until well combined, then transfer to a serving plate and garnish the edges with fresh cilantro; alternatively, arrange with fresh tangerines or pineapple for a fruit platter presentation. Serve with sweet bean paste and aromatic vinegar on the side. This dish is fragrant, light, crispy, and delicious, earning its name from its jujube-like shape.