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Boscov’s set to reopen on Saturday

Minister quits UK government over aide's lockdown breach

If I remember right, I bought my wok at a wonderful kitchen supply store that used to sit in a west side plaza. A former copy editor with a real zest for fine home cooking (and a blunt approach to reporters who made mistakes) sung the shop&rsquo;s praises just as it held a going-out-of-business sale.
				I took a stab at wok cooking because my friend Gary &mdash; he of the killer stromboli recipe I wrote about &mdash; occassionally invited me over for dinners that included some very tasty stir fry. To get started (this was before the days of internet recipes and numerous cooking shows), I bought Martin Yan&rsquo;s &ldquo;The Yan Can Cook Book.&rdquo; I haven&rsquo;t delved into it nearly enough, but tried this recipe recently and really liked it.
				Yan uses prawns, not shrimp. And frankly, since they are deep fried, a wok is hardly a necessity. And no, our vintage electric stove top (which I hope to replace post pandemic) is not really suitable for true wok cooking, lacking flames that can heat the sides as well as the bottom.
				The egg-white/cornstarch marinade, I assume, puts the &ldquo;crystal&rdquo; in this recipe, and the subtle flavor it adds to the shrimp is worth the minimum work. But the vegetables make this dish.
				My first attempt I shredded them julienne thin with a mandolin and served them exactly as called for, raw in the pickling mixture. MT thought they might be a little better slightly cooked, and I agreed, so this time I shredded them thicker and steamed them for a few minutes, just enough to slightly soften but not so much to make mush of the cucumber. We agreed it worked out better.
				Both times I used regular radishes rather than the Chinese (daikon) radish. The red radishes are easier to find and add a little more color. And if you&rsquo;re worried about it getting too pungent with red radishes and vinegar, trust the sesame oil and five tablespoons of sugar. It all balances out nicely. I usually reach for white wine vinegar, but your choice can add a personal touch (and different flavor) to the dish.
				And I always use peanut oil in the wok, mostly because someone told me to a long time ago. Turns out it&rsquo;s well suited to the heat of wok cooking because because it has a high smoke point.
				Lastly, I cooked up some brown rice as a bed to complete the dish. It helps sop up some of the vegetable pickling mixture.
				Crystal Shrimp with tri-colored vegetables. (Martin Yan)
				Ingredients
				Shrimp (or prawns), 12-14, peeled and deveined
				1-1/2 teaspoon salt
				1 egg white, lightly beaten
				1 teaspoon cornstarch
				1 small cucumber, shredded in 2 inch strips
				1 medium carrot, shredded in 2 inch strips.
				1/3 Chinese radish, shredded in 2 inch strips.
				1/4 cup vinegar
				5 tablespoons sugar
				4 teaspoon sesame oil.
				3 cup oil (for deep frying)
				Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon salt over the shelled shrimp and let stand 2-3 minutes. Rinse under running water 2-3 minutes. Marinate in 1/2 teaspoons salt, egg white and cornstarch for 20-30 minutes.
				In a mixing bowl, combine the cucumber, carrot, radish and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Let stand 3-5 minutes, then squeeze out the water. Add the vinegar, sugar and sesame oil. Blend well and set aside.
				Heat oil in wok over medium high heat. Deep fry shrimp until pink, 1-1/2 to 2 minutes. Remove and drain well.
				Spread pickled vegetables on a plate and arrange shrimp on top. Serve hot or cold.

Fresh vegetables add color to ‘crystal’ shrimp