Fried Frog Legs with Ginger and Scallions

Frog legs are a delicacy, eaten in many parts of the world. It is most notable in Chinese and French cuisines, but also appears on menus in Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, South America, parts of Europe and in the American South. I can attest to its popularity in Vietnam, after spending three weeks there and seeing it on almost every restaurant menu I opened. Fry or sauté them in lots of butter, and you can never go wrong.

Mild and tender, frog legs taste like a cross between chicken and fish. You can still find them in some grocery stores-- check with a local specialty meat shop or your nearest Asian grocery store.

Though considered more of a Southern or “redneck” tradition in the United States, we’ll have you know that frog hunting is a lot of fun. When it’s the middle of the summer and the days are hot, it’s nice to have a reason to steal away into the cool night air, armed with giant flashlights, fishing poles, nets or spears.

Servings: 2-4 
Prep Time: 10 minutes 
Cooking Time: 30 minutes 
Ingredients: 
- 24 frog legs (12 frogs) 
- ¼ cup of flour vegetable oil for frying 
- 1 tablespoon of butter 
- 4 scallions, chopped 
- 3 cloves of garlic, minced 
- 1 jalapeno, chopped 
- 1 tablespoon of ginger, minced 
- ¼ cup of water 
- ¼ teaspoon of ground white pepper 
- 1 teaspoon of sugar 
- 2 tablespoons of soy sauce 
- 2 tablespoon of rice cooking wine 
- Chopped cilantro for garnish 

1. Heat ½ inch of oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Lightly salt frog legs, and then dredge lightly in flour. Fry frog legs in batches until both sides are browned. Drain fried legs on paper towels. 

2. Pour out the oil from the pan and clean out pan. Add 1 tablespoon of butter and sauté scallions, garlic, jalapeno and ginger for 1-2 minutes, or until fragrant and toasty. Add ¼ cup of water and bring to a boil. Then add white pepper, sugar, soy sauce and cooking wine, and bring mixture to a boil. 

3. Return frog legs to the pan and toss with the sauce. Garnish with cilantro. Serve by itself or with white rice.