Shrimp, garlic make for an easy dinner
3/24/2013You have to love a recipe that calls for just a handful of ingredients, and takes more time to clean up after than to prepare. And if it also happens to include seafood? All the better.
The simple stir-fry calls for leaving the shrimp in their shells, but no way my daughter was going to eat something with “so many tiny little legs!” So I peeled them (though I left on the tails to provide a “handle” for eating).
Shrimp and Garlic
1 pound shrimp, in their shells (I used jumbo)
1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine (shaoxing) or dry sherry
½ teaspoon salt
2 cups thinly sliced iceberg or romaine lettuce
¼ cup minced garlic
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 to 2 tablespoons minced fresh chile (preferably red), such as Fresno or jalapeno
With scissors or a small sharp knife, cut through shell of shrimp along center of the back and make a slit about 1/2-inch deep into the flesh. Lift out and discard dark back vein, if present. Rinse shrimp and drain well.
In a small bowl, mix shrimp with wine and salt. Line serving dish with lettuce.
In 14-inch wok or 12-inch nonstick frying pan over medium heat, stir garlic with oil just until it begins to turn gold, about 2 minutes. Stir in chile and remove from heat. Pour mixture into a fine strainer set over a bowl.
Return pan to high heat. When pan is hot, return strained oil to pan. Add shrimp and stir-fry until pink, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer shrimp to lettuce-lined dish. Sprinkle evenly with garlic-chile mixture.
Serves 3 to 4.
Source: The Hakka Cookbook: Chinese Soul Food from around the World by Linda Lau Anusasananan
The Block News Alliance consists of The Blade and the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Gretchen McKay is a staff writer for the Post-Gazette.
Contact her at:gmckay@post-gazette.com