- 1 1/2 lb large shrimp (30), peeled and deveined
- 8-oz can water chestnuts (1 cup), rinsed and finely chopped
- 1 large egg white, lightly beaten
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped chilled fresh pork fat or lard
- 1 1/2 tablespoons rice wine or Scotch
- 1 tablespoon grated peeled fresh ginger
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped scallion greens
- 2 1/4 teaspoons coarse salt
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 3 cups panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
- About 8 cups vegetable oil
- Accompaniment: apricot dipping sauce
- Pulse shrimp in a food processor until finely chopped. Transfer to a large bowl, then stir in water chestnuts, egg white, pork fat, rice wine, ginger, scallion, salt, and cornstarch. Beat shrimp mixture vigorously with a wooden spoon and throw it against side of bowl until combined well and compacted. Wet your hands with cold water and form teaspoons of shrimp mixture into balls, arranging in 1 layer on a wax-paper–lined tray. Coat balls, 1 at a time, in panko, then arrange in 1 layer on another wax-paper–lined tray.
- Preheat oven to 425°F.
- Heat oil in a 5-quart pot until a deep-fat thermometer registers 375°F and fry balls in 4 batches, turning, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes, or until golden and just cooked through. (Return oil to 375°F between batches.) Transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain. When all shrimp balls are fried, reheat on a rack set in a shallow baking pan in middle of oven until just hot, about 2 minutes.