spicy stir fry snails

yup, that’s right, snails! these freshwater mollusks are the ones typically found in the wet markets. a common cantonese style preparation for snails is stir frying them in a spicy sauce. when cooked, the meat is firm and slightly crunchy… like an abalone or certain parts of a clam.

snails can be a bit dirty, so be sure to scrub and soak them in a large bowl of water first, at least an hour. most of the time, there’ll be a slippery algae layer on the outside of the shell. you can use a towel or sponge to wipe each one of them clean. or just do what we did… boil them first to kill the algae.

snails 3 lbs (1.5 kg)
small onion 1, chopped
garlic 2 cloves, chopped
ginger 5 slices
star anise 2
dried chili flakes 1 tbsp
rock sugar 1 tbsp
shaoxing huadiao wine 3 tbsp
chicken stock 1 cup

blanch the snails in boiling water for 1-2 min
strain, and set aside
in a hot pot, add oil, onions, garlic, and ginger, sauteed until you can smell the aroma
add star anise, dried chili flakes, rock sugar, and snails
cover the snails with the wine and chicken stock, bring to boil, and cook for 3 min
salt to taste