Appetizers - Rag Mops with Sweet and Sour Sauce

Recipe supplied by Ms. Bobby Cox, St. Louis, MO

Ingredients:

• 6 eggs
• 1 1/4 cup flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 TBS soy sauce
• 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 lb. can bean sprouts, drained (or 1 1/2 cups fresh) cut with scissors
• 1 envelope dry onion soup mix
• 1 pint mushrooms, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup cooked shrimp, chopped
• 1 can water chestnuts, finely chopped
• Oil for frying

Beat eggs lightly in large bowl. Add flour, baking powder, soy sauce and Worcestershire. Beat until smooth. Stir in bean sprouts, soup mix, mushrooms, shrimp and water chestnuts.

Drop by meager teaspoonful into hot oil (about 1" peanut oil in small saucepan) and fry 2-3 minutes on each side (until golden). Drain on paper towels. To freeze, place cooled rag mops on cookie sheet or foil in freezer until firm. Place in plastic freezer bags. Reheat on cookie sheets about 10 mins. at 375°. Makes approximately 100 pieces. Serve with sweet and sour sauce (see recipe below).

To speed up the process, with the exception of the bean sprouts, we chop all the ingredients (individually) in the food processor prior to combining.

Sweet and Sour Sauce

• 5 TBS sugar
• 4 TBS white vinegar
• 3 TBS soy sauce
• 2 TBS dry sherry
• 3 TBS ketchup
• 1 clove garlic, pressed or minced
• 1 TBS cornstarch dissolved in 3 TBS water
• 1 TBS sesame oil
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 TBS peanut oil

Mix sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, sherry and ketchup in small bowl, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Dissolve cornstarch in water and add sesame oil. Heat oil in medium-sized skillet over medium heat until hot. Add garlic and stir for one minute. Slowly add sugar mixture, stirring until the liquid comes to a boil. Turn heat to low, add cornstarch mixture, stirring, until sauce begins to thicken. Slowly add remaining water while stirring. When mixture is smooth, remove from heat. Makes 3/4 cup sauce. Can be refrigerated 4-5 days or frozen for up to two months.