shrimp toast

[prasantrin]

I have a craving for shrimp toast (except not shrimp toast, because I'll be using ground pork), and being in Japan, I think I'll have to make my own. But what kind of bread should I use? I could use a wonder bread kind of bread (soft and squishy), or I could use Japanese shokupan, which is still a bit soft, but is more substantial than wonder bread, or I could use French bread. Any suggestions?

And if anyone knows the proper oil temperature to prevent super oily bread, I'd appreciate knowing that, too! (350F?)

[Jason Perlow]

I've had it with French bread at Vietnamese restaurants and Wonder bread at Chinese restaurants.

I'm really not partial to either, I like both. What I am partial to is a lot of cilantro in the fish/shrimp paste, however -- I think it improves things a lot.

[jo-mel]

I have a craving for shrimp toast (except not shrimp toast, because I'll be using ground pork), and being in Japan, I think I'll have to make my own.  But what kind of bread should I use?  I could use a wonder bread kind of bread (soft and squishy), or I could use Japanese shokupan, which is still a bit soft, but is more substantial than wonder bread, or I could use French bread.  Any suggestions?

And if anyone knows the proper oil temperature to prevent super oily bread, I'd appreciate knowing that, too!  (350F?)

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350 is fine. You don't want to over brown the outside before the inside cooks. Put them in the oil, one at a time with the shrimp side DOWN. Keep the bubbles going, around the toasts, by adjusting the heat. When the shrimp side is golden turn them over just to brown the bread, then remove them. Probably fourish minutes -- depending on how cold the filling is and how many in the pan. They will continue to cook from their own heat as they drain.

Wonder bread is fine, so are baguette slices.

I've made them with ground chicken, and even made shrimpless toast one time! They were for a fundraiser and I couldn't afford the shrimp! They were still a hit!

[prasantrin]

Maybe I'll do both French and Wonder-type! Just to see which I like best!

I forgot to ask, as well, should the bread be a little stale, or as fresh as fresh can be? As much as I love greasy food, I want to be able to eat a lot of these, and my IBS won't allow for that if they're too greasy!

[jo-mel]

Day old. You want the bread a little dry. I've taken bread and let it sit on a rack, for the day, so that it will dry out.

I had mentioned Wonder Bread as you had asked about it. The bread I have always used is Pepperidge farm sandwich bread. It is nice and firm and square. I don't bother to trim the crusts. Also, you can spread the mix on the whole slice, fry the whole slice and then cut it, or you can cut into bite sizes first and then fry the individual pieces.

Greasy? yes! Too bad they couldn't be pan fried with a little PAM spray!

Jo-Ann

[Jason Perlow]

BTW, I beleive Chinese restaurants use a mix of fish and shrimp for the paste, I beleive they use pollack or some sort of neutral white fish. Not sure about the proportions, probably something like 60 percent fish and 40 percent shrimp. And I think they use the smaller shrimps, not the big ones.

At home, we use all shrimp, usually medium or small shrimp, but it has a distinctively different texture and flavor than what Chinese restaurants do.

[Dejah]

BTW, I beleive Chinese restaurants use a mix of fish and shrimp for the paste, I beleive they use pollack or some sort of neutral white fish. Not sure about the proportions, probably something like 60 percent fish and 40 percent shrimp. And I think they use the smaller shrimps, not the big ones.

At home, we use all shrimp, usually medium or small shrimp, but it has a distinctively different texture and flavor than what Chinese restaurants do.

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Cost factor in restaurants...altho' we didn't have shrimp toast on our menu.

At home, we can spoil ourselves silly!

[jo-mel]

When I made the 'shrimpless' toast for the fund raiser I mentioned earlier, I used monk fish and maybe 2 or 3 shrimp per pound.

[Pan]

Fish toast with no shrimp in it is very common in Malaysia. The generic word is keropok, and fish toast is keropok ikan (ikan=fish). On the East Coast of the Peninsula, keropok is often tubular in shape and a good deal fatter than shrimp toasts; that type is called keropok lekor, and is known particularly as a specialty of the state of Terengganu, where I used to live. I think I can say with a high degree of assurance that they make it with dough from wheat flour but do not use bread crumbs. Bread is not a traditional food in that area.

[sheetz]

At home, we use all shrimp, usually medium or small shrimp, but it has a distinctively different texture and flavor than what Chinese restaurants do.

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My guess is that restaurants use lots of pork fat.

[origamicrane]

At home, we use all shrimp, usually medium or small shrimp, but it has a distinctively different texture and flavor than what Chinese restaurants do.

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My guess is that restaurants use lots of pork fat.

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nah its not fat its teh preparation.

if it good shrimp paste you have to smack the crap out of it like tenderisering a steak this gives it a much more springy and bouncey texture.

although my friend makes a wicked pork and prawn toast 50/50 mix of minced pork and shrimp its really good

[jo-mel]

That bouncing does it for Shizitou --Lion's head meatballs, also.

[muichoi]

At home, we use all shrimp, usually medium or small shrimp, but it has a distinctively different texture and flavor than what Chinese restaurants do.

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My guess is that restaurants use lots of pork fat.

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10% is about right, or a little less. Any more and you taste it ,in the wrong way.