Nori-Sesame Shrimp Toasts

Ingredients

• 6 ounces uncooked shrimp
• shelled and deveined
• 1 large egg white
• 2 tablespoons chopped green onion
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
• 1 teaspoon minced ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper
• 3 slices day-old white sandwich bread
• 1 large egg
• lightly beaten
• 3 sheets Japanese seaweed (Nori)
• 1 tablespoon black sesame seeds
• Vegetable oil for deep-frying

Instructions

1. Make the shrimp paste: Combine the shrimp, egg white, green onion, cornstarch, rice wine, ginger, salt, sesame oil and pepper in the workbowl of a food processor.
2. Process until the mixture is smooth, stopping once or twice to scrape down the sides.
3. Trim the crusts from the bread.
4. Brush 1 side of 1 of the bread slices with the beaten egg and lightly press the nori sheet over the egg.
5. Place the bread on a cutting board, nori side down, and trim any of the nori that extends past the edge of the bread.
6. Spread about 1/3 of the shrimp paste over the bare side of the bread, mounding it slightly in the center.
7. Sprinkle 1/3 of the black sesame seeds over the shrimp paste.
8. With a chef's knife, cut each slice into 4 triangles.
9. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.
10. Pour enough oil into a wok or a high-sided frying pan to come to a depth of 2 inches and heat over medium heat to 350 degrees F.
11. Slide 3 or 4 toasts, shrimp side down, into the oil.
12. Cook for about 1 minute, turn over and continue cooking until edges are golden brown, about 1 minute longer.
13. Scoop the toasts from the oil with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
14. Repeat with remaining shrimp toasts.
15. Serve warm.