Scallops with Kangshan Chili Sauce, Sliced Green Bell Pepper & Red Chilies
- camissonia
- Oct 13
- 1 min read
This dish straddles the line between traditional and non-traditional because I more or less made it up (although I did take inspiration from a recipe from Panda Inn's 2002 March calendar feature called "Sizzling Scallops with Asparagus"). My sauce ingredients are similar: soy sauce, sesame oil, rice wine, cornstarch, sugar, and white pepper - but I use very different proportions and plain water instead of chicken stock. Kangshan chili sauce is from Kaohsiung in Southern Taiwan. It consists of chiles, salt, sesame oil and some 'secret' seasonings. If you can't find this stuff, feel free to substitute with any other chili garlic sauce or even hot bean paste. My recipe also incorporates julienned green bell peppers instead of asparagus because asparagus is very seasonal and not always readily available. This dish is saucy and has a kick to it so goes great with steamed white rice. If you're not a spice fiend, then just cut down on the amount of chili sauce and/or fresh red chili called for in the recipe. It's all good.
1
*Green Bell Pepper
You can substitute the green bell pepper with 1 bunch of thin asparagus, cut into 2" sections.
2
**Kangshan Chili Sauce
If you can't find this chili sauce from Southern Taiwan, you can substitute with any other more readily available Chinese chili garlic sauce.
Notes
1
Rinse scallops and pat dry with paper towels. Place them in a bowl and combine with the marinade ingredients. Cover and refrigerate 1-2 hours.
2
Combine all the sauce ingredients into a measuring cup or bowl; set aside.
3
Place 1 cup of cornstarch on a plate or shallow dish. Remove the scallops from the marinade and coat lightly in the cornstarch.
4
In a wok or large pan, heat the 2 cups of oil over high heat until quite hot. Add the scallops (do not overcrowd - cook in 2 batches if necessary) and fry about 3 minutes or until they are lightly browned. Remove to a paper towel-lined dish to drain.
5
Pour out all but about 2 tsp. of oil in the pan and return to the stove over medium-high heat. Add the red onion, garlic, ginger, red chiles and green bell peppers to the pan and stir fry for a few seconds, then stir in 1 tbsp. of Chinese chile sauce. Toss until the vegetables are crisp-tender, about 1 minute.
6
Add the sauce to the veggies and bring to a boil. Cook briefly over high heat until the sauce has thickened. Add the scallops, give a quick stir, then remove the pan from the heat.
7
Plate the scallops on a serving dish and garnish with fresh cilantro.
Instructions
1 lb sea scallops
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg white
2 tsp vegetable oil
2 tsp cornstarch
Marinade
1 1/2 cups water
3 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp sesame oil
2 tbsp rice wine
1 tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp white pepper
2 tbsp cornstarch
Sauce
1/4 red onion thinly sliced
5 cloves garlic minced
1 tbsp minced fresh ginger
4 scallions chopped
1 Fresno chili seeded and sliced
1 small green bell pepper seeded & julienned*
Vegetables
1 tbsp Kangshan Chili Sauce**
2 cups vegetable oil
1 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
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Scallops with Kangshan Chili Sauce, Sliced Green Bell Pepper & Red Chiles
Prep Time
1-2 hours
Cooking Time
15 min
Rest Time
0
Total Time
2 hr 15 min
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