Chinese🐟 Seafood

Steamed Garlic Shrimp

Name: Steamed Garlic Shrimp
Total time: 18 min
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: 1 pack bean vermicelli; 12 oz shrimp; ~6 cloves garlic cloves; ½ oz green onion whites; ~1 tbsp ginger paste; 1½ tbsp oil; ½ tsp salt; 1 tsp sugar; ~¼ tsp white pepper; 1 tsp oyster sauce; 1 tsp light soy sauce; ½ tsp sesame oil; 1 tsp cornstarch; 1 tbsp oyster sauce; ½ tsp light soy sauce; ½ tsp salt; ½ tsp sugar; ~2 tbsp green onion greens; ~1½ cups water

⏱ 18 min

A classic Cantonese dish that graces Lunar New Year feasts. Head-on, shell-on shrimp are topped with fragrant garlic paste and steamed over vermicelli noodles, which symbolize longevity. Simple yet elegant, this showcases the tender sweetness of premium shrimp and serves as an accessible introduction to Cantonese seafood cooking.

High-proteinLow-cal

Adapted from a video by Made With Lau

🦐 How a Chinese chef cooks Garlic Shrimp! (蒜蓉蒸蝦)

Watch on YouTube

Ingredients

bean vermicelliabout 2 oz; pre-cooked, soaked in warm water for 2-3 minutes1 pack
shrimphead-on, shell-on, unpeeled, 31/40 count (31-40 per pound)12 oz
garlic clovesminced into paste~6 clovesest.
green onion whiteswhite parts only, finely diced½ oz
ginger pasteoptional, helps reduce fishiness; slice, then cut into strips, then mince~1 tbspest.
oilheat until smoking (30-40 seconds), then pour over garlic paste1½ tbsp

Steps

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1
Soak the bean vermicelli in warm water for 2-3 minutes until softened. The vermicelli is pre-cooked and only needs rehydrating.
2
Clean the shrimp by deveining with a toothpick at the second segment below the head. Trim the head below the eyes, remove the legs, and optionally angle-cut the tail using kitchen shears.
3
Slice open the shrimp's back with a small knife from head to tail, cutting through the shell. Flip the knife and gently score the meat underneath without cutting all the way through, creating a pocket for the garlic paste.
4
Make the garlic paste by smashing and peeling garlic cloves, removing the hard ends. Crush with a cleaver blade, then mince finely. Add diced green onion whites and minced ginger (optional), mixing everything together.
5
Check that the vermicelli is soft by tasting. Cut it shorter using kitchen shears for easier eating. Drain thoroughly, shaking off excess soaking water and spreading out the noodles.
6
Heat 1.5 tbsp of oil in a wok for 30-40 seconds until smoking. Pour the hot oil over the garlic paste to bloom the flavors without burning them.
7
Season the garlic paste with 0.5 tsp salt, 1 tsp sugar, white pepper, 1 tsp oyster sauce, 1 tsp light soy sauce, 0.5 tsp sesame oil, and 1 tsp cornstarch. Mix well.
8
Arrange the drained vermicelli on a plate. Season with 1 tbsp oyster sauce, 0.5 tsp light soy sauce, 0.5 tsp salt, and 0.5 tsp sugar. Mix well with chopsticks and a spoon.
9
Spoon the garlic paste into the pocket on the back of each shrimp, using just enough so the garlic doesn't overpower the shrimp. Arrange the stuffed shrimp on top of the seasoned vermicelli. Spread any remaining garlic paste around the plate.
10
Set a steaming rack in a wok and add hot water to the level of the rack. Cover with a lid and bring the water to a boil.
11
Once the water boils, carefully place the plate of shrimp and vermicelli on the steaming rack. Cover and steam on high heat for 6 minutes until cooked through.
12
Turn off the heat. Carefully remove the plate using a plate lifter or hands. Sprinkle chopped green onion greens over the top for garnish. Serve immediately.

Steamed Garlic Shrimp

Ingredients

Steps

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