INGREDIENTS

8 jumbo raw shrimp
8 hard-cooked quail eggs, shelled
1 sheet Japanese seaweed(nori), cut into 8 strips 1 inch wide
Cornstarch
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups Japanese Bread crumbs (panko)
Toothpicks
Cooking oil for deep-frying
Sweet and sour sauce

COOKING METHOD

GETTING READY

Shell and devein shrimp, leaving tails intact. Butterfly them along the inside curve, then flatten with the flat side of a cleaver.

Combine marinade ingredients in a bowl. Add shrimp and stir to coat; let stand 10 minutes.

To make each roll: Place a quail egg at one end of a strip of nori and roll up. Center wrapped egg on inner side of a butterflied shrimp. Roll shrimp to enclose egg; secure with a wooden pick. Repeat with other eggs, nori strips, and shrimp.

COOKING

In a wok, heat oil for deep-frying to 350?F. Dip stuffed shrimp in cornstarch, then egg; coat with crumbs. Deep-fry, turning once, until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove and drain on paper towels.

Cut stuffed shrimp in half horizontally and place on a serving plate. Serve with sweet and sour sauce for dipping.

SOURCE: Martin Yan's Asia © 1997 / Martin Yan