Since many of us are still in the pandemic lockdown, self-imposed or mandated, deciding what to cook has become a chore. Many of us are probably planning out weekly menus to cut down on grocery runs, which many of you know can be a daunting experience with masks, lines, and empty shelves; and I won’t even get into disinfecting all the groceries we bring home! Such is our new “normal” at least until this scourge passes.
Another main concern for many of us is a disrupted food chain caused by virus outbreaks at many of the meat packing plants nationwide. Not only is this virus causing meat shortages, but it puts plant employees considered essential workers, and their families at risk. I know we all want to do our part to stop the spread and also hopefully keep folks from hoarding meat. (Remember the Toilet Paper back in March? I don’t think the factories have caught up yet!) Anyway to show our support for meat packing plant employees and hopefully lessen the demand for meats workers’ advocates are calling for Meatless Mondays. So you might want to plan your weekly menus to include at least one meatless day, it’s good for your health as well as one small step in stopping the spread. So I thought this month I’d share some meatless recipes with you.
One of my favorite seafood dishes is Salt & Pepper Shrimp, we used to order it every time we dined at a Chinese restaurant. Since I found a recipe for it we can enjoy it at home. I modified it to fit our tastes and I think made it a bit simpler to make. Served over steamed white rice it’s yummy!
3 tbls. chopped green onions
2 tbls. minced garlic
1/4 + cup peanut oil
Directions:
Place shrimp in a small bowl and cover with warm water
Add sea salt and let soak for 30 minutes to 1 hour
In a shallow bowl mix together corn starch, 1 tbls. each of white and black peppers, and garlic powder
Drain shrimp and lightly pat dry with a paper towel
Heat peanut oil in wok or large frying pan on medium heat until hot
Coat each shrimp in cornstarch mixture and place in wok
Cook until shrimp turns pink – turn halfway for even cooking – you may need to add more peanut oil if it gets too dry
Place cooked shrimp on paper towel to drain – Do not turn stove off
If pan is dry add a tbls. more peanut oil – add mince garlic and stir until it starts turning golden
Add fried shrimp back into pan
Add chopped green onions and stir til green onions turn bright green and starts to soften
Remove from heat and serve over white rice
Enjoy!
- 1 lb. Medium to Large shrimp peeled and deveined
- 1 tbls. sea salt
- 1/2 cup Corn Starch
- 2 tbls. ground white pepper
- 2 tbls. ground black pepper
- 1 tbls. Garlic Powder
- 3 tbls. chopped green onions
- 2 tbls. minced garlic
- 1/4 + cup peanut oil
- Place shrimp in a small bowl and cover with warm water
- Add sea salt and let soak for 30 minutes to 1 hour
- In a shallow bowl mix together corn starch, 1 tbls. each of white and black peppers, and garlic powder
- Drain shrimp and lightly pat dry with a paper towel
- Heat peanut oil in wok or large frying pan on medium heat until hot
- Coat each shrimp in cornstarch mixture and place in wok
- Cook until shrimp turns pink - turn halfway for even cooking - you may need to add more peanut oil if it gets too dry
- Place cooked shrimp on paper towel to drain - Do not turn stove off
- If pan is dry add a tbls. more peanut oil - add mince garlic and stir until it starts turning golden
- Add fried shrimp back into pan
- Add chopped green onions and stir til green onions turn bright green and starts to soften
- Remove from heat and serve over white rice
