Stir-fried Snails with Shiso 紫蘇炒田螺 is a common street food in alleyways of hot summer nights back at hometown Guangzhou, but does shiso also go well other than snail and duck? I tried pairing shiso with shrimp, another seafood I LOVEEEEE, results turned out amazing.. the unique fragrance of shiso leaves match so well with shrimps’ ocean taste, their juicy texture and “sweetness”!
QUICK TAKEAWAYS
- strongly recommend red wild Argentinian shrimp?? does this count as a takeaway?? Safeway does not ALWAYS have it, but now I know it tastes so juicy and fresh, I will get MUCH more next time!!
- first frying shrimp in HOT OIL in a SHORT TIME without constant flipping did preserve the juicy texture! Similar as the deep-frying step in Stir-fried lobster with ginger & scallion last time! If shrimps are larger, do need to coat slightly with corn starch like lobsters.
- different from stir-fried clams with Thai basils cooking in high heat to get them open up, this dish cook over low heat since shrimp has pre-cooked already and sauce do not burn out fast.
RECIPE
- 1lb shrimp
- 1/2 whole garlic, minced
- 1 shallot, minced (can substitute with 1/4 onion)
- 1-2 scallions, minced
- 1tbsp cooking wine/rice wine
- 1tbsp soy sauce
- 1tsp dark soy sauce
- 1tbsp oyster sauce
- 1tsp sugar
- 8-10 shiso leaves cut in slices
Step 1: clean shrimp well, remove vein, intestine, rinse a few times in cold water, drain well for better texture
red one tastes SOO GOOD!! Argentina shrimps
Step 2: in a bowl, add 30ml water, 1tbsp soy sauce, 1tsp dark soy sauce, 1tbsp oyster sauce, 1tsp sugar, mix well.
Step 3: add oil in a pan, over HIGH HEAT, add in shrimp. High temperature in hot oil preserves shrimps’ moist and flavor so they tastes juicy later. Do NOT STIR or FLIP shrimp until one side is cooked and turns red; cook the other side and bring them out. This should take 1-2 minutes.
batch 1 
slight red 
turn and GOLDEN! 
batch 2 
golden! 
remove from oil
Step 4: discard excessive oil, just leave enough for stir frying 1/2 minced garlic and 1 minced shallot. Stir fry garlic and shallot over medium-low heat till golden and transparent.
Step 5: add 1tbsp cooking/rice wine and add in liquid sauces in the bowl from Step 2. Stir well and taste, adjust seasoning if needed.
- if added too much water, just keep boiling out the water till the sauce looks stickier
Step 6: add shiso leaves slices, add back shrimp, stir fry and coat shrimp fully with sauce
shiso IN!!! 
Step 7: add minced scallions at the end and stir fry for less than 1 min.
READY TO SERVE!
on the top is stir-fried clams with Thai basil!! EPIC as well!!
RESOURCES
It’s him again!!! He is really, especially good at making Cantonese food and always be my top reference of Cantonese dishes. Turn on subtitles!
