Shrimp on a Sugar Cane Stick with Pineapple-Mango Jam

Shrimp on a Sugar Cane Stick
with Pineapple-Mango Jam

Serves 6

Shrimp
The smoky, saltiness of bacon ond the brininess of shrimp come throuqh in this savory mixture that you bite off of a juicy sugar cane stick. Mung bean noodles add a little chewiness and water chestnuts provide crunch; toasted rice powder is the secret to binding the mixture together. A fruity jam provides a light and sweet accompaniment.

Pineapple-Mango Jam
1 cup finely diced fresh pineapple
1 cup finely diced ripe mango
2 to 3 tablespoons sugar
1 cup sweet white wine or sake

16 shrimp (about 1/2 pound), peeled, deveined, and without tails
4 ounces minced pork with fat, about 1/2 cup
3 strips bacon, minced, about 1/3 cup
4 water chestnuts
1/2 cup cooked mung bean noodles (page 152 of book)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons sugar
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon toasted rice powder (page 153 of book)
2 teaspoons garlic oil (page 151 of book)
12 (3 by 1/4-inch) sugar cane sticks (see page 20 of book)
Peanut oil, for deep-frying
Lettuce leaves, for garnish

To prepare the jam, combine the pineapple, mango, sugar, and wine in a saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil, decrease the heat to low, and simmer for 30 to 45 minutes, until thick and reduced by half.

To prepare the shrimp, place half of the shrimp in a food processor and chop to a fine mince. Add the remaining shrimp, pork, bacon, water chestnuts, noodles, salt, sugar, fish sauce, rice powder, and garlic oil. Process the mixture until it is pasty but the shrimp is still a little chunky.

Moisten your hands with water and shape about 1/4 cup of the shrimp mixture in a flat mound around the center of a sugar cane stick. Repeat until all the mixture and sugar cane pieces have been used.

Pour oil into a wok to a depth of 3 to 4 inches. Heat the oil over high heat. When the oil is hot, decrease the heat to medium-high and slide in two or three of the shrimp sticks. Fry for 3 to 5 minutes, turning, until golden brown. Transfer to paper towels to drain any excess oil. Repeat with the remaining sticks.

Line a serving platter with the lettuce leaves. Arrange the shrimp sticks on the leaves and serve immediately with the jam alongside.

Roy's Tip
Once you have shaped the shrimp mixture onto the sugar cane sticks, they can be refrigerated. Covered, for several hours before frying.

Buy the Book!

from:
Hawaii Cooks
Flavors from Roy's Pacific Rim Kitchen
by Roy Yamaguchi
with food writer Joan Namkoonk
Ten Speed Press
Hardcover, 176 pages
Price: $32.50 (CAN $50.00)
ISBN: 1-58008-454-0
Recipe reprinted by permission.