Chinese Recipe - Steamed Shrimp

This is a Northern Chinese recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 lb large shrimp
• 2 tbsp oil
• 2 tbsps chopped Chinese mushrooms
• 2 tbsps chopped cooked ham
• 2 tbsps chopped canned bamboo shoot
• 1 tbsp dry sherry
• ½ tsp salt
• Large pinch of sugar
• 2/3 cup chicken stock
• 2 tsps. Cornstarch, dissolved in 2 tbsps. water
• Parsley sprigs, carrot slices and pepper strips to garnish

Directions:

1. Remove the heads and shells from the shrimps but keep the tails. Make a shallow incision down the back of each shrimp and remove the dark intestinal vein. Make a small cut in the back and pull the tail through it so that the shrimp is curled up. Steam the shrimps for 5 minutes. Transfer to a serving dish and keep hot.
2. Heat the oil in a pan. Add the mushrooms, ham, bamboo shoot, sherry, salt, sugar and stock and bring to the boil. Add the cornstarch mixture and cook, stirring, until the sauce is thickened. Pour over the shrimps and serve garnished with parsley, carrot slices and pepper strips.