It's time to make some Firecrackers. I hope your ingredients aren't two weeks old by now. High school is a busy place. Anyway, let's begin. Firecrackers are full of surprises! The ingredients will be stinky, the tying of the egg noodles can be infuriating, and deep frying can definitely be unsafe. So I recommend you get an adult to help you. After all, nothing says surprise like starting a fire.
Ingredients:
1. 12-18 large, raw jumbo shrimp (Heads should be removed, I recommend shells be removed as well)
2. 12-18 small wonton wrappers, thawed
3. 12-18 fine egg noodles
4. 1 tbsp Thai fish sauce (This would be the stinky part)
5. 1 tsp red curry paste
6. Peanut oil, for deep frying
7. A wok or deep fryer
Preparation:
First, we need to soak the egg noodles in a pot of boiling water for 2-3 minutes, until they're soft. Drain your noodles, run cold water over them and drain again. Be sure the noodles aren't too soft, or you'll have an awful time tying them around your firecrackers.
Now, we need to prevent your shrimp from curling while they're being deep fried. Take your shrimp and place them on their sides. Using a knife, cut two slits into the underbelly of each one, going across. The first slit should be 1/2 in from the head and the other 1/2 from your first slit.
Next comes the fun part, let's get our hands dirty. We're going to make a wonderful smelling marinade for the shrimp. First, mix your curry paste and your fish sauce in a dish. Your dish should be flat, and be large enough to fit all of your shrimp at once. Add the shrimp and coat them in the marinade, then cover your dish with foil and let marinate for 10 minutes.
Then, take a wonton wrapper and put it on your work space so that it looks like a diamond. Now, fold the top corner of the diamond over so that the top point is in the center. Place the shrimp on its back on the wrapper and fold the bottom corner over the other end of the shrimp. Be sure that the tail protrudes from your wonton while doing this. Now wrap each side of the wrapper around the shrimp to make a tightly folded roll. Finally comes the hardest part. Tie an egg noodle in a bow around the roll, being careful not to break the noodle in the process.
Cooking:
Heat your peanut oil in a deep fryer or wok to 375 degrees F. Deep fry the shrimp 3-5 at a time, for 4-8 minutes. The firecracker should appear golden brown when it's finished cooking, drain on a paper towel while you finish frying the rest of your shrimp.
I hope you enjoy your firecrackers, I know I did. Keep in mind fish sauce should be refrigerated after opening. Next week (if time permits) I'll be showing you how to make Thai egg rolls. These won't be egg rolls in the traditional sense though, because in America egg rolls and spring rolls are the same thing.
This is Jadenman and as always, have a nice day.
- Jadenman
Author's Note: I apologize for my break from writing. High school is very busy, and school always comes first.
