Steamed Shrimp with Garlic
Submitted by recc
Steamed shrimp with garlic, soy sauce, rice wine, and scallions in a Chinese-style preparation. Butterflied shrimp topped with slow-cooked golden garlic and steamed until tender.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
20 minREADY
45 minButterflied shrimp arranged on a platter, topped with spoonfuls of slow-cooked golden garlic in soy and rice wine, then steamed for just six minutes. This Chinese-style dish is elegant, intensely garlicky, and simpler than it looks.
Half a cup of finely minced garlic is not a mistake. Cooking it low and slow in oil for a full 10 minutes turns it golden, sweet, and mellow instead of sharp and harsh. That patient browning transforms raw garlic into something almost nutty and spreadable.
The scallions, soy sauce, rice wine, and sugar all go in at the end over high heat for just 30 seconds. This quick blast builds the sauce without overcooking those aromatics. The rice wine adds sweetness and a slight tang that balances the soy.
Steaming the shrimp with the garlic mixture already spooned on top means the flavors cook directly into each piece. Six minutes is plenty for butterflied shrimp. They curl up, turn pink, and soak up every bit of that garlic sauce.
Chef Tips
- Butterfly the shrimp by cutting deeply down the back without going all the way through. They open flat and cook more evenly than whole shrimp.
- Stir the garlic constantly during the slow cook phase. It goes from golden to burnt in seconds if left unattended.
- Pat the shrimp completely dry after rinsing. Excess water on the platter dilutes the garlic sauce.
- Serve immediately. Steamed shrimp toughen quickly as they cool.
Variations
- Black bean garlic: Add a tablespoon of fermented black bean paste to the garlic mixture for a deeper, more savory Cantonese flavor.
- Chili garlic version: Stir a teaspoon of chili oil or fresh minced red chilies into the sauce for a spicy kick alongside the golden garlic.
Ingredients
Directions
Remove shells from the shrimp, leaving the tail sections on, and butterfly the shrimp by slicing them down the back, not quite in half.
Rinse well and remove the dark vein from each. Drain and pat dry.
Place the shrimp on a platter in one layer, heat the oil in a wok or skillet, add the garlic.
Lower the heat and cook about 10 minutes, stirring constantly, until the garlic turns brown.
Raise the heat, add the scallions and cook 30 seconds.
Add the light soy sauce, rice wine and sugar and stir for 30 seconds.
Place the dish with the shrimp into a steamer and cover each shrimp with a teaspoon of the garlic mixture.
Cover and steam the shrimp for 6 minutes.
Serve immediately.
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