LOBSTER CANTONESE I

Lobster Cantonese I image

Number Of Ingredients 11

Ingredients

1 lobster, (1 1/2 to 2 pounds)
1/4 pound lean pork
1 to 2 clove garlic
3 to 4 tablespoons oils
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1/2 cup Stock, Chicken or favorite stock
2 eggs
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon cornstarch
3 tablespoons water

Steps:

1. With a cleaver, chop lobster lengthwise in half then clean. Chop each half, shell and all, in 1 1/2-inch sections. Chop claws in two. 2. Mince or grind pork. Crush garlic. 3. Heat oil. Add salt, then garlic, and brown lightly. Add pork and stir-fry until it loses its pinkness (1 to 2 minutes). Sprinkle with soy sauce stir-fry 1/2 minute more. 4. Add lobster sections stir-fry 1 minute. Stir in stock and heat quickly. Then cook, covered, over medium heat, until done (about 3 minutes): the meat should be chalky white the shell bright red. 5. Meanwhile, in one cup, beat eggs lightly with water and set aside. In another cup, blend cornstarch and remaining water to a paste. 6. Stir in cornstarch paste to thicken then turn off heat and stir in beaten eggs until creamy. (Turning off the heat helps retain the egg's rich yellow color and makes for a smooth-flowing sauce it prevents the egg from overcooking, coagulating and turning white.) Serve at once. NOTE: For best results, start with a live lobster. VARIATIONS: * For the lobster, substitute 6 crabs. Shell, crack claws, discard feet. Chop each crab in 4 pieces. * In step 3, omit the salt and garlic clove. Mash 1 tablespoon fermented black beans (soaked) with 1 garlic clove, minced, and add to the hot oil. (You may also at this point add 1 slice fresh ginger root, minced and/or a few drops of sesame oil.) Stir-fry a few times to heat then add minced pork. * In step 4, before adding the stock, sprinkle lobster with 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon sugar, a dash of pepper and 1 teaspoon sherry. Stir-fry a few times to blend in. * In step 4, substitute for the stock a mixture of 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon sherry, 1/4 cup water, 1/2 teaspoon sugar and 1 slice fresh ginger root. minced. * In step 5, add to the cornstarch paste 1/4 teaspoon sugar and 2 teaspoons soy sauce. * In step 6, add with the beaten eggs 1 scallion stalk, minced.The Thousand Recipe Chinese Cookbook. ©1994 by Gloria Bley Miller.

Nutrition Facts : Nutritional Facts Serves