Sizzling Fujian Shrimp and Red Rice Soup with Crispy Fan Jiu

1. Prepare the shrimp

Peel, devein, and clean the shrimp while leaving the tail segments intact.

2. Heat the wok and add garlic oil

Heat a wok over high heat for 30 seconds. Add the garlic oil and coat the wok thoroughly, waiting for a wisp of white smoke to appear.

3. Add ginger and onions

Add the ginger and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Then add the diced onions and stir for another 30 seconds before lowering the heat to medium. Continue cooking the onions for about 2 minutes until they soften.

4. Add celery

Raise the heat back to high and add the diced celery, stir-frying for 1 minute. Turn off the heat and transfer the contents of the wok to a sand clay pot.

5. Combine ingredients in sand clay pot

Add the Fujian fermented red rice, the red rice liquid, fish stock, and salt to the sand clay pot. Stir everything well to combine. Cover the pot and bring it to a boil over medium heat. Once boiling, lower the heat to a simmer.

6. Heat peanut oil for deep-frying

In a separate pot, heat the peanut oil until it reaches a high enough temperature to deep-fry. This usually takes about 5 to 7 minutes. Carefully place the fan jiu in the hot oil. It will expand and brown, achieving a crispy texture. Once browned, remove the fan jiu from the oil and let it drain well on a heated platter.

7. Add shrimp to the soup

Raise the heat under the simmering soup to medium and add the shrimp, stirring to mix them in evenly. Allow the soup to return to a boil, then turn off the heat.

8. Serve the soup

To serve, bring the sand clay pot and the platter with the crispy fan jiu to the table. Immerse the fan jiu in the soup for a dramatic sizzling effect. Serve the soup in individual bowls, making sure to ladle the soup over pieces of the fan jiu for a delightful crunch in every bite.