Recipe: Jasmine-Scented Shrimp

Jasmine-Scented Shrimp

3 tablespoons rice wine, sake or dry sherry
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
1 piece ginger, peeled (1-inch), finely chopped
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 lb raw medium-size shrimp, shelled, deveined
2 tablespoons jasmine or other aromatic tea leaves, such as Earl Grey
1/2 cup light fish or chicken stock
2 teaspoons cornstarch dissolved in 1 tablespoon water
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
4 scallions, thinly sliced
mint sprigs or jasmine flowers, to garnish

In a medium-size bowl, combine rice wine, sake or dry sherry, soy sauce, ginger, sesame oil and salt. Add shrimp and toss to coat well. Let stand 30 minutes, stirring once or twice. In a small bowl, stir the tea leaves into 1/2 cup boiling water and steep 1 minute. Strain tea through a fine tea strainer into another bowl and discard the tea leaves. Add stock to the tea and stir in the cornstarch mixture and sugar.

Heat wok until hot, add vegetable oil and swirl to coat wok. With a Chinese strainer or slotted spoon, remove shrimp from marinade. Working in batches, add shrimp to wok and stir-fry 1 to 2 minutes until pink and firm; remove to a bowl. Stir in scallions and reserved marinade and cook 1 minute. Stir tea mixture and add to wok, cook, stirring, until thickened. Return shrimp to wok and toss lightly to coat. Garnish with mint or jasmine and serve with rice.

Makes 4 servings.