Steamed Shrimp and Vermicelli

Name: Steamed Shrimp and Vermicelli
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 5 min
Ingredients: 8-10 pieces shrimp (ideally large and head-on but ok if not); 3-4 ounces mung bean vermicelli (aka glass noodles); 8 cloves garlic (minced); 1 stalk green onion (thinly sliced); 1 teaspoon oyster sauce; 1 teaspoon fish sauce; 1 teaspoon sesame oil; 2 teaspoons shaoxing wine or sake; ½ teaspoon white pepper

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Steamed Shrimp and Vermicelli is popular Chinese (specifically, Cantonese) dish. You'll find variations on this dish at many Hawaii restaurants. Here's how we make it easy style at home. Simple and healthy, so good ^_^

This new recipe is from my dad! He's been working on it for the last few weeks and we've been lucky to enjoy it for dinner on several occasions.

It's a pretty dish, and thankfully one that's simple to make. Glass noodles / vermicelli is laid on a plate and topped with butterflied shrimp and garlic. Steam for five minutes and it's ready to eat!

*Forgot to include the sesame oil in the above photo ^_^

Ingredients

Here's what you'll need:

Shrimp! Ideally large and head-on but ok if not.
Vermicelli (aka glass noodles)
Garlic
Green onion
Oyster sauce
Fish sauce
Sesame oil
Shaoxing wine or sake
White pepper

Instructions

Let's get cooking!

First, soak the noodles! Place the dried glass noodles / vermicelli in a bowl and cover with room temperature water. Let sit for 15 minutes and then drain. Use scissors to cut the noodles in half. Set aside.

Now, prepare the shrimp! Devein the shrimp and gently butterfly open the top (this is where we'll put the garlic and green onion mixture). Set aside.

Next, prepare the garlic and green onion mixture. In a bowl, mix together the minced garlic and green onions. Season with the oyster sauce, fish sauce, sesame oil, shaoxing wine or sake, and white pepper. Use chopsticks to mix evenly.

Get a large plate or shallow bowl (this is the plate/bowl we'll use to steam the dish). Place the softened vermicelli noodles on the plate. Then arrange the shrimp evenly on top. Divide the garlic and green onion mixture on top of the shrimp (ok if the mixture spills over, that will make the noodles extra tasty).

Steam on high heat for 5 minutes. Then it's ready to eat and enjoy! Eat hot ^_^

FAQ

What if I want more noodles?

Totally understand. The noodles in this dish are SO good, especially when it soaks up all the shrimp juices and the garlic-y seasoning mixture.

If you want to add more noodles but keep the amount of shrimp the same, just make extra of the seasoning mixture and a splash of chicken broth (or any type of broth) so that the noodles are still flavorful and "juicy."

What type of noodles to use?

We mainly use mung bean vermicelli noodles. This is a popular brand that you can find in many Chinese supermarkets and in Chinatown.

Note: you can also use other types of clear glass noodles (we've made this dish with sweet potatoes noodles).

Do you have to make the shrimp all pretty like that?

Not if you're in a rush! For a super quick dinner, just use regular size shrimp, already peeled and deveined. Scatter the garlic and green onion mixture on top of all the shrimp and steam according to the recipe.