Recipe(tried): Butterfly Shrimp with Snow Peas

BUTTERFLY SHRIMP WITH SNOW PEAS

I enjoy this a lot and have fixed it as comfort food a lot.

1/3 lb fresh snow peas
1/4 lb fresh or frozen medium-sized shrimp
1/2 cup unpeeled straw mushrooms
8 large fresh or canned water chestnuts
2 green onions
1/2 cup chicken stock
2 teaspoon thin soy sauce
1 teaspoon dry sherry
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 pinch sugar
3 tablespoon peanut oil
2 teaspoon fresh ginger, slivered
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 cornstarch/water paste

PREPARATION:
Soak snow peas in cold water for 2 hours to make crisp. Soak shrimp in salted cold water for 1 hour.

Drain straw mushrooms. Break off ends of snow peas. Peel and rinse water chestnuts. Shell shrimp, keeping tail intact. Deeply slit shrimp around upper curve (don't cut through), deveining, and spreading shrimp almost flat. Cut green onion on the bias in 2-inch lengths. Slice water chestnuts thinly crosswise.

In small bowl, mix stock, soy sauce, sherry, salt and sugar.

STIR-FRYING:
Swirl peanut oil into very hot wok. When oil begins to smoke, add shrimp and stir-fry until they curl (about 20 seconds). Remove shrimp to serving platter.

Stir-fry mushrooms for 30 seconds. Add garlic and ginger; stir-fry another 30 seconds. Add snow peas and water chestnuts; stir-fry briskly for 1 minute. Add stock mixture; bring to boil; keep tossing until snow peas are bright green.

Push ingredients out of liquid, dribble in cornstarch paste to thicken slightly. Return ingredients, including shrimp. Stir briefly. Serve immediately.

HINT: snow peas should be slightly undercooked when served.