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Prep Time11/2 hour
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Cook Time15 minutes or less
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Serving4
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Kong’s Shrimp with Lobster Sauce Recipe Overview
The Kong’s Shrimp with Lobster Sauce recipe is a Cantonese dish that’s popular in many Chinese restaurants. There is no lobster in this dish. It seems the dish originally featured lobster but shrimp was so often substituted because of its relative cheapness and availability that the dish eventually became a shrimp dish.
In researching the origins of Chinese-American cooking, I found that Cantonese cuisine is known for its simplicity and freshness. Scallions, ginger and garlic comprise the The Holy Trinity of Cantonese cooking. Note that this recipe does not call for minced ginger, but it could certainly be added with the garlic and cooked pork (some recipes did call for the addition of ginger).
Cantonese Cuisine & Pearl Kong Chen
I also learned that one of the most famous Cantonese chefs was a woman named Pearl Kong Chen, and so that’s why I named this dish after her. I could not find any evidence that she ever published a recipe for Shrimp with Lobster Sauce which is probably because this dish appears to be a Chinese – American restaurant invention. But her contribution to Cantonese cooking was so important and so inspiring to many people that I think naming this ubiquitous dish after her would not be wrong.
As an aside, I thought it was interesting that when Chinese cooking first came to America, it was very difficult to get good authentic Chinese food. Why? Because most of the Chinese people who first came here were MEN and they weren’t very good cooks! So, right off the bat the cuisine was subjected to bad cooks and scarcity of authentic ingredients. Eventually, the women came over and everything got better as it tends to do when women take charge.
About Pearl Kong Chen
Pearl Kong Chen (June 17, 1926 – July 21, 2014) was a Chinese-American cooking teacher and cookbook author known as an expert on Cantonese cuisine. Chen’s grandfather, Kong Hungyun, was a Qing dynasty official and noted gourmet in Guangzhou in the early 1900s, but she did not begin her own culinary career until she came to America in 1967. She lived in New York and in California, where she taught cooking and home economics classes at San Jose State University and provided instruction to high school teachers.
Chen wrote over 40 cookbooks, primarily in Chinese, but in 1983 she published Everything You Want to Know about Chinese Cooking, for an American audience. The cookbook includes 243 recipes, including steamed whole fish, braised abalone with black mushrooms in oyster sauce, spicy soy sauce chicken, red-cooked chicken with chestnuts, braised orange duck, fish-flavored pork shreds, braised radish balls with dried shrimp, home-made noodles, and classic Chinese flaky pastry.
Ingredients
Shrimp Sauce
Directions
Steps for Kong's Shrimp with Lobster Sauce Recipe
This is a simple recipe packed with flavor! The steps to the shrimp with lobster sauce recipe are intuitive: boil the ground pork, stir fry the shrimp and vegetables, make a lobster sauce and then thicken it. Serve over rice. Drop the mic.
Fill the Wok with Water
The first step to the shrimp with lobster sauce recipe is to fill the wok about 1/3 full of water and bring to a boil over medium to high heat.Add the Ground Pork
When the water is boiling, add the ground pork and break up with a wooden spoon. Cook for about 1 minute.Remove, Rinse, & Drain the Pork
Remove the pork from the water with a spider utensil or a slotted spoon or fish spatula. Rinse the pork with water, drain, and set aside.Clean the Wok
So, this is where you can take a break in the Kong's Shrimp with Lobster Sauce recipe. Pour the water out of the wok and clean the wok, then put it back on medium high heat and let it dry out and get really hot.Heat the Oil & Add the Shrimp
When you're ready to cook, heat the oil over high heat. When the oil is smoking, add the shrimp and the ground pork and the garlic. Add the ginger if you are using it. Cook for about 15 to 30 seconds.Add the Wine
Add the wine and cook down/reduce about a minute.Add More Ingredients
Add the stock, the salt and pepper, sugar, sesame oil and soy sauce.Add the Peas
Add the peas. Bring or perhaps lower to a simmer.Remove the Shrimp
Remove the shrimp when they are done. If you overcook the shrimp, they will be tough. Set them aside in a serving dish with most of the peas and pork (which got scooped out when you scooped out the shrimp).Last Steps for the Lobster Sauce
Finish the lobster sauce. Make a cornstarch and water slurry and pour it into the sauce. Let it thicken for a few minutes at a simmer.Add the Egg
In a slow stream pour the lightly beaten egg into the sauce in a circular pattern. You can use just the egg white or you can use the whole egg. Let the lobster sauce "sit" for at least 5 seconds and then add the chopped scallions. Stir the sauce at the end so that you get strands of cooked egg and pour the sauce over the reserved shrimp in the serving dish.Serve the Kong's Shrimp with Lobster Sauce!
Serve this delicious dish with steamed Jasmine rice!Conclusion
Kong's Shrimp with Lobster Sauce Recipe FAQs
Looking for more information about Cantonese dishes like this shrimp with lobster sauce? Here are some commonly asked questions and answers to know:
What is shrimp with lobster sauce?
Shrimp with lobster sauce is a classic Chinese dish that offers a rich, savory taste. The dish typically doesn't contain any lobster. Instead, the "lobster sauce" refers to a traditional ginger and garlic-based sauce originally used in Cantonese lobster cooking. The dish mainly features shrimp and is enhanced with ground pork, vegetables, and various seasonings.
It's often served over a bed of steamed rice, making it a complete and satisfying meal. The combination of ingredients and the unique sauce create a delightful dish that's popular in many Chinese restaurants and is enjoyed by those who appreciate Cantonese cuisine.
How to make shrimp with lobster sauce?
Here are concise instructions for how to make the shrimp with lobster sauce recipe: 1.) start by boiling ground pork in a wok filled with water, 2.) then remove and rinse the pork. 3.) Next, clean the wok and heat oil over high heat to stir fry the shrimp, pork, garlic, and optionally ginger. 3.) After a brief cook, 4.) add wine, 5.) stock, 6.) seasonings, and 7.) peas. 8.) Carefully remove the shrimp once cooked to avoid overcooking.
9.) To make the lobster sauce, create a cornstarch slurry and add it to the simmering mixture to thicken. 10.) Then, pour a lightly beaten egg in a circular motion into the sauce and let it set for a few seconds 11.) before adding chopped scallions. 12.) Stir to create strands of cooked egg. 13.) Finally, pour the sauce over the shrimp and 14.) serve the dish with steamed Jasmine rice.
What does shrimp with lobster sauce taste like?
Shrimp with lobster sauce is a harmonious blend of savory, and slightly sweet flavors. The sauce, rich in garlic and ginger, provides a warm and aromatic base, complemented by the subtle sweetness of the shrimp and the savory depth of the ground pork. The addition of wine, stock, sesame oil, and soy sauce adds layers of complexity, while the peas offer a gentle sweetness and a pop of color.
The cornstarch thickens the sauce, giving it a smooth, velvety texture that coats the shrimp beautifully. The final touch of beaten egg creates silky strands within the sauce, enhancing its luxurious feel. Overall, the dish is a delightful balance of flavors and textures, making it a delicious Chinese dish.
How many calories in shrimp with lobster sauce?
The calorie content in a shrimp with lobster sauce recipe can vary depending on the specific recipe and portion size. A standard serving of this dish, which typically includes shrimp, ground pork, vegetables, and "lobster" sauce served over rice, can range from 350 to 500 calories. The major contributors to the calorie count are the shrimp, ground pork, and the rice.
Additionally, the cooking oil, sesame oil, and cornstarch in the sauce also add calories. To get a more accurate estimate of the calorie content, it's important to consider the amounts of each ingredient used and the method of preparation. Keep in mind that restaurant servings may be larger and more calorie-dense compared to homemade versions.
Discover More Recipes Like This One!
If you enjoy our shrimp with lobster sauce recipe, please be sure to check out all our other recipes online! More specifically, you can check out our Asian dishes here, and other dinner dishes here.
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