Pa'i'ai with Lychee, Ho'io and Dried Shrimp

Name: Pa'i'ai with Lychee, Ho'io and Dried Shrimp
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: Asian
Ingredients: 2 cup fiddlehead ferns, fresh; 2 tbsp sesame oil; ¼ cup rice vinegar; 2 tbsp mirin; 8 piece lychee, peeled, seeded and chopped; 5 tbsp dried shrimp; ½ cup canola oil, for frying; kosher salt; 2 tbsp scallions, thinly sliced; 2 lb pa'i'ai (taro cake), sliced

Recipe GLPR119a2ad6c4cef8

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Asian

Main Course

30 min

197 cal

Servings: 8

Stovetop

Crispy-fried taro slices topped with a bright, marinated relish of tender fiddlehead ferns, fresh lychee, and umami-rich dried shrimp, finished with sesame oil and rice vinegar. A Hawaiian-inspired appetizer that balances texture and flavor with a touch of Asian seasoning.

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Ingredients

2 cup fiddlehead ferns, fresh

2 tbsp sesame oil

¼ cup rice vinegar

2 tbsp mirin

8 piece lychee, peeled, seeded and chopped

5 tbsp dried shrimp

½ cup canola oil, for frying

kosher salt

2 tbsp scallions, thinly sliced

2 lb pa'i'ai (taro cake), sliced

Directions

Prepare an ice bath by filling a large bowl with ice and water. Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the fiddlehead ferns and cook for 2 to 2½ minutes until just tender. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the ferns immediately to the ice bath to stop the cooking. Drain well and place in a medium mixing bowl.
While the ferns cool, whisk together the sesame oil, rice vinegar, and mirin in the bowl with the ferns until combined. Gently fold in the chopped lychee and dried shrimp. Allow the relish to marinate at room temperature for 15 minutes to develop flavor.
Line a sheet tray with paper towels. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add canola oil to reach a depth of about ¼ inch. When the oil shimmers and is hot, carefully add pa'i'ai slices in a single layer, working in batches if needed. Fry for 2 to 3 minutes until the bottoms turn golden and crispy.
Gently flip each pa'i'ai slice and fry the other side for another 2 to 3 minutes until golden and crispy. Transfer to the paper towel–lined tray and season both sides with kosher salt while still warm.
Divide the warm fried pa'i'ai among 8 plates. Using a slotted spoon, distribute the marinated relish evenly over each portion, leaving some of the flavorful liquid behind. Garnish with the sliced scallions and serve immediately.

Comments

Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff3.75

This Hawaiian-inspired dish will require a special trip: fiddlehead ferns (ho'io) are not stocked at Charlotte's mainstream grocers and would mean a stop at an Asian market, and lychee in fresh form is seasonal and typically found only at specialty stores or Walmart's premium produce section. Dried shrimp, sesame oil, mirin, and rice vinegar are available at Harris Teeter and Food Lion, but taro cake—a staple of Hawaiian cooking—will likely need an Asian market as well. The ingredient list drives real cost and inconvenience on a weeknight. The 30-minute claim is honest if you buy pre-cut taro cake and assume fiddleheads come cleaned, but the dish does not keep well once assembled and is best served fresh the same night.