White Water Shrimp

Name: White Water Shrimp (Bok Soi Har)
Cuisine: China
Ingredients: 1 teaspoon scallion oil; ½ teaspoon sesame oil; ½ teaspoon white vinegar; Pinch of white pepper; 2 scallions: wash, discard both ends, mash white portion lightly, cut into 3 sections; ¼ cup white wine; 4 fresh basil leaves; 1 slice of ginger, ½ inch thick, lightly mashed; 3 cups cold water; 1 pound medium shrimp, 25 to 30: wash, leave shells on; 1 tablespoon scallion oil; 2 teaspoons salt; 2 small chili peppers, thinly sliced; 1½ tablespoons light soy sauce; 1 garlic clove, peeled and mashed; 6 fresh mint leaves; 1 tablespoon sugar; 3 small fresh chili peppers

Bok Soi Har

Preparation info

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

The Chinese Banquet Cookbook

By Eileen Yin-Fei Lo

Published 1985

About

These are called “white water” shrimp because they are in fact poached in boiling water, one of a very few such recipes and one that illustrates a simple and delicious preparation that could be cooked by the Hakkas while they were on the move.

Ingredients

1 pound medium shrimp, 25 to 30: wash, leave shells on
3 cups cold water
¼

Asia
China
Fish course
Pescatarian

Method

Squeeze shrimp about ½ inch from top and vein will pop out. Pull gently out of the body.
Place all ingredients except shrimp in a large heavy pot, such as a cast aluminum pot. Bring to a boil over high heat. Allow to boil for 2 minutes.
Add shrimp and bring b