Kill the lobsters with a decisive knife plunge to the head. Butcher the lobsters by splitting them in half lengthwise, separating the claws and tail from the body, cracking the claws and knuckles, and chopping the tail into quadrants. See photos and detailed instructions in the text. Don’t throw away the body and carapace, including the gills and tomalley—they add so much flavor to the sauce!
Mix the salt, flour and cornstarch together in a shallow dish. Dredge the lobster pieces in the mixture, focusing on coating all exposed meat.
Bring two cups of frying oil to 350℉ in a frying pan or wok and fry the lobster pieces in batches: Lay a few pieces in the oil, being careful not to crowd them, and fry for 10 seconds (or until the shell turns red), then flip them and fry for another 10 seconds. Remove the pieces from the wok, setting them on a rack or a paper towel.
Repeat with the remaining pieces of lobster until all are cooked; set all aside.
Clean the wok (if you’ve used it for frying). Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat, then add the ginger and the scallion whites and sizzle them until they are aromatic and slightly shriveled.
Add the white pepper, vadouvan curry (if using) and the chopped lobster pieces to the wok and stir-fry everything together vigorously for a minute, until the lobster pieces are covered in the infused oil.
Add the Shaoxing wine by pouring it down the sides of the wok, then cover the wok and let the lobster steam for 2 minutes. Uncover the wok and stir-fry everything again for another minute. If the pan looks dry, add two tablespoons of water, since you want some sauce clinging to the pieces. Check for doneness: lobster meat should pull away easily from the shell and be firm and opaque throughout. If the meat looks shriveled, it’s overcooked! If the meat needs to cook longer, re-cover the wok and cook for another minute.
Once the lobster is cooked through, turn off the heat and add the scallion greens, then continue to toss the ingredients together in the wok to let the carryover heat wilt them. Serve and eat the dish immediately.
