Hundred Corner Shrimp Balls

Ingredients

• 80 servings barbecue sauce 
• 2.3 teaspoons coarse salt 
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch 
• 1 large egg whites lightly beaten
• 1 tablespoon ginger fresh grated peeled
• 3 cups panko bread crumbs (Japanese bread crumbs)
• 3 tablespoons fat fresh chilled finely chopped
• 1.5 tablespoons rice wine 
• 2 tablespoons spring onion finely chopped
• 1.5 lb shrimp deveined peeled
• 8 cups vegetable oil 
• 1 cup water chestnuts rinsed finely chopped canned

Equipment

• food processor
• bowl
• paper towels
• oven
• pot
• baking pan
• wooden spoon
• kitchen thermometer
• slotted spoon

Directions

1. Pulse shrimp in a food processor until finely chopped.
2. 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.
3. Preheat oven to 425°F.
4. 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.)
5. 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.
6. • Shrimp balls may be coated and fried 1 day ahead, cooled completely, then chilled, covered. Bring to room temperature before reheating.