Chinese Long Squash Recipe: Crispy Fried Pies with a Moist Center
Even though long squash or Opo squash has squash in its name, it is a type of gourd. One common thing about all types of gourd is kids don’t like them at all. If your kid is the same and doesn’t want to eat vegetables, you can make a long squash pie following this recipe.
The Chinese long squash recipe is made by combining long squash and a few other vegetables. Egg whites and flour work as binders to shape the pie. As this recipe uses a little oil, it is also healthy for kids. Let’s start making long squash pie.
Table of Contents
Chinese Long Squash Overview
In this section, you will find the prep time, cooking time, calorie count, and other relevant information about this recipe.
| Cuisine: Chinese | Difficulty: Medium | ||
| Total Time: 30 minutes | |||
| Serving | Preparation Time | Cooking Time | Calories |
| 2 persons | 15 minutes | 15 minutes | 123 kcal |
Ingredients Needed for Chinese Long Squash Recipe
This pie is a nutrition bomb with its healthy ingredients, such as carrots, tomatoes, shrimp, eggs, etc. I listed all the necessary ingredients for this dish below.
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- Long Squash: 1 small long squash or about half of a large long squash
- Carrot: 1 large carrot
- Scallion: 2-3 stalks, chopped
- Tomato: 1-2 pcs, chopped
- Egg: 2 pcs.
- Shrimp: 10-12 pcs, peeled and deveined
- Flour: 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- Salt: 1 tsp
- Pepper: 1 tsp, freshly ground
- Cooking Oil: 1 tbsp
Chinese Long Squash Recipe: Step-By-Step Instructions
Shaping this pie requires a bit of technique. Let me show you the detailed process in the following steps.
Step 1: Shred the Squash and Carrot
Wash the squash and carrot first. Then, use a mandoline to shred the squash and the carrot. If you don’t have a mandoline, cut the squash and carrot into 3-inch long julienne.
Step 2: Prepare Other Ingredients
Chop the scallions first. Then, crack the eggs in a bowl and separate the yolks from the white. Keep the yolks for later use.
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You should also peel and devein the shrimp at this stage to avoid hassle later. After that, chop the tomatoes.
Step 3: Make the Pie Batter
Take the shredded squash and carrot in a bowl. Add the chopped scallions, all-purpose flour, salt, and freshly ground black pepper to the bowl.
Beat the egg white a bit and put it into the bowl. Mix everything and ensure the batter isn’t runny.
Step 4: Fry the Pies
Heat a pan with a little oil and put one scoop of the batter into the pan. Make a well in the middle using chopsticks so that the batter looks like a thick ring. Similarly, fry three to four pies in one batch. Keep the heat low and fry until the pie is set.
Step 5: Fill the Center
Once the pies are set, pour beaten egg yolks into the center of each pie. Pour a small amount so that the egg yolk is just below the top. Then, put one shrimp and a few pieces of chopped tomato in each pie.
Step 6: Flip the Pies
After about one to two minutes, the egg yolk will be set. Flip the pies and fry the other side as well. Take them out when both sides are evenly golden. Fry the remaining batter in batches following the same method.
Step 7: Serve with a Dipping Sauce
This crispy fried long squash pie should be served with ketchup, chili sauce, or any of your preferred dipping sauce.
Nutrition Facts of Chinese Long Squash Pie
Carrots and tomatoes are some of the richest sources of beta-carotene. Long squash is also rich in Vitamin C and antioxidants. Check the nutritional value of Chinese long squash below.
- Total Carbohydrates: 7g
- Protein: 12g
- Total Fat: 5g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g
- Monounsaturated Fat: 2g
- Total Dietary Fiber: 5g
- Total Sugar: 2g
- Cholesterol: 40mg
- Sodium: 253mg
- Potassium: 141mg
- Calcium: 96mg
- Magnesium: 35µg
- Iron: 1.2mg
- Vitamin A: 210IU
- Vitamin C: 13mg
Chinese Long Squash Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- Wash the squash and carrot first. Then, use a mandoline to shred the squash and the carrot. If you don’t have a mandoline, cut the squash and carrot into 3-inch long julienne.
- Chop the scallions first. Then, crack the eggs in a bowl and separate the yolks from the white. Keep the yolks for later use.
- You should also peel and devein the shrimp at this stage to avoid hassle later. After that, chop the tomatoes.
- Take the shredded squash and carrot in a bowl. Add the chopped scallions, all-purpose flour, salt, and freshly ground black pepper to the bowl.
- Beat the egg white a bit and put it into the bowl. Mix everything and ensure the batter isn’t runny.
- Heat a pan with a little oil and put one scoop of the batter into the pan. Make a well in the middle using chopsticks so that the batter looks like a thick ring. Similarly, fry three to four pies in one batch. Keep the heat low and fry until the pie is set.
- Once the pies are set, pour beaten egg yolks into the center of each pie. Pour a small amount so that the egg yolk is just below the top. Then, put one shrimp and a few pieces of chopped tomato in each pie.
- After about one to two minutes, the egg yolk will be set. Flip the pies and fry the other side as well. Take them out when both sides are evenly golden. Fry the remaining batter in batches following the same method.
- This crispy fried long squash pie should be served with ketchup, chili sauce, or any of your preferred dipping sauce.
FAQs
You might also seek answers to some common questions regarding this recipe. I included those answers below for your convenience.
What are some serving suggestions for this dish?
As I have already mentioned, you can serve long squash pies with your favorite dipping sauce. You can also chop them into large pieces before serving them. It will make eating the pie easier.
How can I make Chinese long squash more flavorful?
To make long squash pies even more flavorful, you can add some minced pork to the batter. The caramelization of the pork will give the pies a more intense flavor. Besides, you can put some soy sauce and MSG in the batter.
What are some other vegetables that can be used in place of Chinese long squash?
You can use regular gourd in place of Chinese long squash to make these pies. Even cucumber or zucchini will be suitable for this recipe. But as cucumber has a lot of water, you need to squeeze as much water as possible before making the pies.
Do I need to steam the long squash before making the pies?
No. As I have shredded the squash thinly, it won’t require any steaming. The squash is already soft and will be cooked properly while frying it. Steaming might make the squash mushy.
Conclusion
Making crispy pies is probably the tastiest way to enjoy Chinese long squash, especially for kids. These pies have a texture like hash browns but are enriched with proteins and vegetables. You get a lot of nutritional value from the squash, carrot, egg, shrimp, tomato, etc.
Try this Chinese long squash recipe today that everyone will love. Besides serving it as a snack, you can also give it in your kids’ lunchboxes. Eliminate the hate of your kids for vegetables with these amazing pies.
