General Tsao’s Lobster

From: Executive Chef Ben Pollinger, Oceana Restaurant, NYC. Yield: 1 serving.

Chef Pollinger says, “Aside from a lobster sandwich, I’ve always served lobster in a 'noble' style, meaning a fancy preparation befitting lobster as a luxury ingredient. It’s always fun doing a spin on a classic dish, and customers love it. This is our best-selling item on the menu, and has been since it was added two years ago.”

Lobster:
1½ lb. cleaned lobster meat, diced into 1½” pieces

Batter:
½ cup egg whites
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 Tbsp. fish sauce
1 cup cornstarch

Sauce:
4 cloves garlic, sliced
1” ginger, julienne
2½ cups lobster broth
2 Tbsp. sugar
¾ cup soy sauce
½ cup sweet chili sauce
1 Tbsp. sesame oil
1 tsp. rice wine vinegar
4 Tbsp. cornstarch
***
1 bunch scallions, sliced thin
1 cup cashews, toasted
4 Tbsp. chopped cilantro
as desired, steamed black sticky rice

For batter: Whisk egg whites, soy and fish sauces. Whisk in cornstarch. Toss lobster in batter, deep fry in batches at 375°F until golden and cooked, about 4 minutes.

For sauce: Saute garlic in a little canola oil. Add broth, sugar, soy sauce, chili sauce, sesame oil and vinegar. Bring to a simmer. Thicken with cornstarch according to directions on box.

To serve: Saute scallions in a little canola oil until they’re wilted. Add sauce, cashews and cilantro. Toss in lobster to coat. Serve over steamed black sticky rice.