Ingredients
400 g fresh shelled shrimp (about 14 oz), 250 g dried tofu skin (about 9 oz), 75 g fresh peas (about 2.5 oz), 50 g pork fatback (about 1.75 oz), 50 g Chinese arrowhead (about 1.75 oz), 25 g cooked ham (about 1 oz), 25 g mushrooms (about 1 oz), 25 g cabbage (about 1 oz).
Seasonings
500 g (about 1 lb) vegetable oil, 60 g (about 1/2 cup) cornstarch, 50 g (about 2 large) egg whites, Sichuan peppercorn salt and 20 g (about 1 1/2 tablespoons) sesame oil to taste, 10 g (about 2 teaspoons) each of Shaoxing wine, sugar, and vinegar, 3 g (about 1/2 teaspoon) salt, 2 g (about 1 teaspoon) ground white pepper, 1 g (about 1/4 teaspoon) MSG.
Instructions
1. Finely dice the pork fatback, ham, peeled water chestnuts, and mushrooms separately; wash and drain the fresh shrimp, then finely dice them; blanch the fresh peas in boiling water, cool them in cold water, and remove the skins; combine the diced pork fatback, ham, water chestnuts, mushrooms, peas, and shrimp in a bowl, add salt, Shaoxing wine, white pepper, and MSG to taste, mix well, then stir in the egg white batter to form the filling.
2. Cover the dried tofu skin sheets with a hot, damp cloth to soften them, then cut into 24 pieces, each about 8 cm (3 inches) square. Lay each piece flat on a work surface, place some filling in the center, and fold into a rectangular, flat packet. Seal the edges with beaten egg white, then coat evenly in fine dry potato starch.
3. Heat oil in a wok over high heat, deep-fry the shrimp packets until golden yellow, remove and arrange neatly on a plate, then drizzle with sesame oil; shred the cabbage, toss with sweet and sour dressing, and place at one end of the plate; serve with a side dish of Sichuan pepper-salt. This dish features crispy bean curd skin wrappers with a tender, smooth, and savory filling.