Steamed garlic shrimp on vermicelli (蒜蓉蒸蝦)

Ingredients

Method

1. Soak the vermicelli in warm water 10 minutes. Snip it shorter, drain, and squeeze dry.
2. Toss it with its seasonings until evenly brown, then spread it on a heatproof plate.
3. Put the garlic, green onion whites, and ginger in a bowl.
4. Heat the oil on high until it just smokes, 30–40 seconds, and pour it over the bowl.
5. Stir in the paste seasoning, adding the cornstarch last.
6. Devein each shrimp with a toothpick just behind the head, trim the head and legs, and slit the shell to make a pocket.
7. Fill each shrimp with ½–1 tsp paste. Too much overpowers the shrimp.
8. Arrange the shrimp in a ring on the noodles and spoon any leftover paste into the gaps.
9. Bring the steamer water to a rolling boil and steam on high 6–7 minutes, until the shells turn red and the meat is opaque.
10. Garnish with the green onion greens.