Cantonese Style Ginger Scallion Lobster Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 live lobsters about 1 to 1 ½ pounds each, substitute with fresh lobster tails
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 8 slices ginger
- 4 scallions cut into 2-inch pieces
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 3 tbsp Shaoxing wine
- 2 tbsp neutral oil plus more for flash frying (about 2 to 3 cups)
- 1/2 tsp salt
Sauce
- 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp water
- 2 1/2 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
- 1/2 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp chicken bouillon
- 1/8 tsp ground white pepper
Starch Slurry
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1/4 cup water
Instructions
- Place the lobsters in the freezer for 30 minutes to 1 hour. This will put them to sleep, making it easier to process later.
- Take the lobsters out of the fridge and lay them out on a cutting board. Using a chef knife, pierce the head of the lobster all the way through. The nerve endings of the lobster will cause its body to continue moving however, the lobster is already killed at this point.
- Pull off the head of the lobster and remove the brain, organs and tomalley (yellow/green-ish substance). Using a cleaver, chop the mouth and claws off and set the claws aside. Scrape away the gills then carefully cut straight down to cut off the gills and legs on both sides. If you want to keep the legs, set those aside otherwise you can toss them.
- Carefully cut the elbows of the claws in half lengthwise, followed by the claw.
- Lay the lobster tail and body flat onto the cutting board and cut straight down the middle lengthwise into two pieces. Next, remove the sand tract and digestive tract.
- Cut each lobster half into 4 pieces (1 body and 3 tail pieces), leaving you with 8 pieces total per lobster. If using lobster tails, cut it straight down the middle lengthwise. Chop each half into 3 pieces, leaving with 6 pieces total per tail.
- Rinse the lobster pieces under cold running water to get rid of any stray shells. Using a paper towel, pat dry the lobster pieces well and set aside to air dry.
- In the meantime, combine the sauce ingredients which include water, low-sodium soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, chicken bouillon, and ground white pepper. Mix well then set aside. Next, prepare the starch slurry by mixing together cornstarch and water. Set aside for later.
- Add cornstarch to a large mixing bowl and toss in the lobster, making sure all pieces are well coated. Dust the cornstarch off well by transfering the coated lobster pieces into a colander or large strainer. You can also dust each pieces by hand.
- In a pot or wok over medium heat, heat 2 to 3 cups of neutral oil to 375F (190C). Flash fry the lobster for 20 seconds, making sure to work in batches to prevent overcrowding the pot. Transfer the lobster to a wire rack to drain and immediately hit it with salt. Repeat until all the lobster have been flash fried.
- In a clean wok, heat 2 tablespoons of neutral oil over medium-high heat. Toss in the ginger and saute for 30 seconds, or until fragrant. Add the white part of the scallions and saute for another 30 seconds, before adding in the minced garlic. Saute for 30 seconds then add the lobster and stir to mix well.
- Pour the Shaoxing wine around the wok and stir fry for about 2 minutes. Add the sauce and toss to mix well.
- Once the lobster have been coated in the sauce, add the starch slurry and mix everything together. Add the green part of the scallions and give it one last toss.