In the weeks leading up to Christmas, I promise myself I will not get caught up in the gifts, the commercialism. I will not stack my son's presents next to my daughter's and freak out because they are slightly unequal. I will not fret because my parents give us far more than we can afford to give them. I will not wonder if a gift pack of Rancho Gordo heirloom beans will be justly appreciated or complained about to another friend – "Dude! She gave me beans for Christmas. Beans!"
I was feeling good, centered, until I gathered my gifts for wrapping and realized I needed small items for some close friends and their children. I was dreading the mall or, dear God, Walmart, when I remembered that the Asian market is a good place for such gifts – inexpensive and unusual candies, speciality food items you can't find elsewhere.
The Asian market nearest my home is closing, so I went to a new Asian market and started to browse. A woman about my age, wearing thick glasses and a 70's era mint green pantsuit, came up behind me and began talking animatedly in a foreign tongue. Near as I could tell, it was a combination of Thai and mangled English. When she followed me to next aisle still talking rapidly, I understood two things simultaneously: she was talking to me, and she thought I knew what she was saying. In most Babel-like situations you make a go of communicating with gestures and the few words you have in common, but this was a full-blown conversation and I wasn't holding up my end. I felt rude, as if I'd arrogantly taken a Thai vacation without bothering to learn a few basic phrases.
I did the only thing I could do – I shopped, listening for sounds of approval and words like "good" and "yes." She quite emphatically liked a large bottle of sweet chili sauce and little tins of curry paste. The tamarind surprised her. (She was probably giving me the best recipe ever for hot sour soup and I couldn't understand a word.)
The next item I picked up sent her over the edge. She clasped her hands together in joy; this product was clearly her favorite. It was a large plastic jug with a happy fish on the label, filled to the brim with small fried things. I'm attracted to small fried things the way most women are attracted to small sparkly things. "Headless Shing Shang" it read. I wasn't as beguiled by the word "headless," but her enthusiasm meant I couldn't place it back on the shelf without offending her. (Imagine you're in a record store with a friend and she says, "Oooh! You should listen to this. They're an awesome band. You'll love them!" and you say, "Uh. No thanks." Like that.) In my basket it went.
After she bagged (still talking) and I paid, I struggled to end our relationship gracefully. I slowly sidled toward the door. "Well. Bye. Thank you!" I said, then added, "See you later!" in case my exit seemed too abrupt.
She smiled, waved and said, "See YOU later...Alligator!"
She did see me later. I went back the next day to buy another jug of shing shang for our family's Christmas Eve game of Dirty Santa. The plan is to try and get our young nephew to open it and watch his pout develop into a tantrum as the game progresses and he's stuck holding fish snacks. As his favorite aunt, I will at that point rescue him by taking the shing shang so that he can open a new present.
As for the headless shing shang, they're crispy, salty, slightly sweet, tasting a bit like fish-flavored bacon bits. They could be addictive. Other than for snacking, they're good crushed and used as a crunchy garnish for Asian noodle dishes, soups or curries.
In the hope that y'all will join me in a Headless Shing Shang Christmas, I offer this recipe – my husband's very very favorite meal – an Americanized version of Prik Khing. I've included widely available substitutes for the ingredients you might not be able to find outside of a Thai market. Either way, it's all kinds of shing shang. (That's our new phrase for "awesome.")
Prik Khing with Shrimp
1 lb medium shrimp, shelled and deveined
1 lb green beans, blanched
1 4 oz can of prik khing curry paste (or red curry paste)***
1 large (19 oz) can coconut milk
2 Tbsp fish sauce
1 small nub of ginger, peeled and finely grated
1 stalk lemongrass, tender inner leaves, finely chopped
1 large garlic clove, finely diced
Juice of one lime
2 kaffir lime leaves (or the rind of one lime, green only, peeled in a strip)
2 Tbsp sugar
2 green onions, chopped
1 large bunch Thai basil, chopped (or standard basil if you can't find the Thai)
1 handful of cilantro leaves, chopped
1/3 cup chopped honey-roasted peanuts or cashews
1/3 cup crushed headless shing shang
2 cups cooked jasmine rice
In a large skillet over medium high heat, "fry" 1 Tbsp curry paste until aromatic. ***How much curry paste you end up using depends upon your heat tolerance. I use a whole can, but start by using 1 Tbsp, and add more as you taste. You can build heat; you can't take it back.
Add the can of coconut milk, fish sauce, ginger, lemongrass, garlic, lime juice, lime leaves, and sugar. Let this cook uncovered, stirring frequently, until it is reduced by 1/3 and slightly thickened. Taste for heat, sweet and salt. Adjust heat by adding more curry paste; adjust sweet by adding more sugar; adjust salt by adding a bit more fish sauce.
Add the green onions, Thai basil and shrimp and cook until the shrimp is opaque and almost done. Toss in the green beans and cook until the shrimp is cooked and the green beans are heated through. Stir in the cilantro. Spoon over jasmine rice and sprinkle the top with the chopped nuts and crushed shing shang. Serve with a lime wedge.
Until the new year – See you later alligator!
TIP:
Enter the amount, and click "Tip" to submit!
Brunhilde
Mary Stanik
icyhighs
Midwest Muse
jmac1949
LuminousMuse
Salon.com
Comments
Off to find Headless Shing Shang for stocking stuffers...~r
Move over I am a coming
rated with hugs..:)
`R
You really had me at "fish-flavored bacon bits".
Linda -- Come on over. It's warm(er) here, I'm sure.
Scanner -- You might be right. But I've been back to the store since and her English isn't improved. At least she doesn't seem to mind that I can't understand her.
Boanerges -- Thanks! I hope your Christmas is shing shang!
Lea -- I couldn't live without Thai food, but my mom isn't a fan either. Thanks for reading and commenting!
Scarlett -- Or maybe she was afraid I would shoplift? Happy Tuesday before Christmas to you too.
Larry -- Uh oh. Well, there is a "nutrition label" so I assumed...
Oryoki -- There's no msg in the label, but you're right it's in a lot of Asian products. I love to go there and purchase odd items, bring them home and google them. Sometimes I buy something totally awful (the sweet basil seeds -- apparently it's used to make a weight loss drink).
Dirndl -- Keeping my head firmly attached. Merry Christmas to you!
Owl -- If you don't like fish, these would not be the snack for you.
Myriad -- They do sort of look like bugs, but they are definitely fishes.
Larry -- Hey I paid $3.99!
Jeanette -- Maybe there's a jar of "Heads Only Shing Shang" for people who really really love shing shang. (Those beans are amazing, and not terribly expensive.)
Shing-Shang should have its own Christmas song, like, "Have yourself a merry box of shing shang..." (Do I sound too much like Tink here? My blood sugar's so low you could paste it to the floor without trying--I need my oatmeal!)
After a while, crocodile!
Rated
Have a Headless Shing Shang Christmas
Shing Shing Bells
We Shing Shangs of Orient Are
Shing Shang Wenceslaus
Shing Shang the Headless Reindeer
O Come All Ye Shing Shangs
Have Yourself a Merry Headless Shing Shang
and yummy too
- Wonderful article, BV!
Wishing a very Merry Christmas to you & your family! :)
This is my reaction when visitors examine the porcelain figurine collection in my cloistral apartments. It was very gracious of you not to damper her enthusiasms. In fact, one does wonder what they taste like. The headless shim shams, that is — not the porcelain figurines. They taste like chicken.
I wish. I bet a Bellwether bean is a most excellent bean.
I'm sure the recipe is as terrific as the post.
Deb -- I find it hard to believe that in a state where you can get medical marijuana you can't get headless shing shang. What is this world coming to?
Sophieh -- "Exceptional" is a very diplomatic word!
Greenheron -- So you got a smoker?? Yay! Smoked tofu is a marvel, isn't it. You can make the curry without shrimp or fish sauce and while some curry pastes have shrimp or fish in them, many do not.
Celebration -- Sure! Any meat or vegetables will do.
Lulu -- You'll be in charge of the cookies.
Jeanette -- That's the Shing Shang spirit!!
Christine -- You can't have one without the other. It's the law.
Lucy -- Your comment made me think of the two of us serving time (a'la Martha Stewart) for insider trading. Wouldn't that be a hoot?Best to you and yours too!
Caroline -- Thanks for stopping by!
Hells Bells -- They are crispy. Not sure how naturally.
Kate -- That child would be the most popular kid around. Who wouldn't adore a kid named "Headless"?
Trilogy -- Happy Holidays to you and yours!
Catherine -- Yes, those second monitors are the only discord in our marriage.
Alysa -- My first wish would be to give everyone at OS a jar of shing shang.
Sarah -- It says more than it should.
Amy -- Could be. I did end up buying more than I intended.
Clay -- I'm sending lots of love and best wishes your way as well.
Blue -- I can't believe you were in college (with all that gnoshing going on) and you didn't try them. For shame! (I am a much more adventurous eater now than I was years ago...I'm sure I missed out on many delicacies.)
Monsieur -- Personally, I'd say porcelain figurines taste like alligator, which tastes like chicken. It's a minor quibble, but, I think, an important one.
Fernsy -- I wouldn't give you beans for Christmas. I'd just give you musical fruits.
Con -- Wham a lama Shing Shang.
Felicia -- Every fish is better with the head on. Except maybe in this case.
Matt -- I was thinking the same thing!!
Linnn -- Do tell....
Femme -- I did wonder about that. If I find out, I'll update the post! Hope your holiday is wonderful!
Linda -- Really? Let me know what they were called...I'm always intrigued by foreign delicacies (obviously).
You'll have the last laugh over any complaining about Christmas beans once they see you come down the beanstalk with that golden goose. Beans aren't the "magical fruit" for nothing.
Nice. A family conspiracy to coax a tantrum out of the young nephew. I like you even more.
Kate -- Yeah, the shing shang is an acquired taste. I'll give you a pass.
Midwest -- OS has educated me on many many things. I've been to many Asian markets and have never seen this product -- despite it being pretty popular overseas.
Stim -- Well if you read the Rancho Gordo website, they'll tell you the remedy for bean songs is...eat more beans. If you're bagpiping, that means you're not eating enough beans on a regular basis. (Doesn't everyone love inciting a tantrum...if it's not your kid?)
Mary -- It is both! We passed them around, and half said "Hmm!" and half said, "Gahh!" I had taped a $5 bill on the lid of the shing shang. Next year, I'll put the money IN the jar. Then we'll start a Dirty Santa war.
Happy Holidays!
Greg -- Anchovy popcorn? Now there's something I need to try!
Lily -- I do the same thing. Just try to match the tone. Annnndddd...that's how I ended up with a jug of shing shang.
Sheba -- Good to know about the gaters! If I ever need a pair in Florida, I imagine I'll have a whole backyard of OSer's camped out in my backyard, escapees from the apocalyptic snowfall North of the Mason Dixon. In the meantime, I think the recipe would be amazing with tofu -- I've subbed tofu for the shrimp many times.
Franish -- Savory granola toppings? You're blowing my mind! (Yep we had a great holiday gathering. I hope experienced the same.)
McKenna -- Yikes. Headaches are spoilers -- I had a migraine two weeks ago after a fifteen year hiatus -- thankfully, none since, but they do give you RESPECT for headaches. Wishing you a headache-free, shing shang New Year!
Geezer -- Unless you really loooveee fish, the shing shang is a novelty. I must have been a fish in a previous life because I adore them, but everyone else in my family makes a face. Green curry....can't get enough of that.
Fay -- Good to see you back. Hope your Christmas was great!
The Top Grandmother was just so MINE, I've linked that post in today's post on LAWN TEA. I could just feel the heat and the dust, taste the deep rich sweetness, and I swear I felt the lingering tingle of the bramble-thorns on my arms. And Honky-tonk lipstick---I'll be snickering at that one all day.
Girl, you DO beat all.
rachel
Rachel -- It's so good to see a fellow Women's Colony refugee! I hated that they stopped publishing. It was such a lively place. Thanks for stopping by and reading and taking the time to register and comment!