How to Make Aromatic and Attractive Steamed Garlic Shrimp with Lotus Leaves at Home

Prepare the shrimp

After purchasing the shrimp, you need to peel them clean, remove all legs, antennae, and the shrimp vein, and gently rinse with water.

Make garlic sauce

Add to a bowl a mixture of seasonings including 1/2 teaspoon of sugar, 2 tablespoons of minced garlic, 1/2 teaspoon of chicken seasoning powder, 1/2 teaspoon of monosodium glutamate, and use a spoon to mix everything together.

Next, place a pan on the stove, add 2 tablespoons of cooking oil, and when the oil is hot, add 2 tablespoons of minced garlic to the pan to sauté until fragrant.

When the garlic is golden and crispy, remove all the sautéed garlic to another bowl, and pour the garlic oil into the prepared seasoning mixture, stirring well until everything is completely dissolved.

Making shrimp steaming sauce

Put 2 tablespoons of cooking oil into a pan, when the oil is hot, sauté 1/2 onion sliced thinly, 1 tablespoon of minced garlic, 1 tablespoon of chopped green onion, and 5 sprigs of cilantro (only use the stems) until fragrant.

Add 5 tablespoons of soy sauce, 2 tablespoons of water, and cook over medium heat until boiling. Add 1 tablespoon of dark soy sauce, 1 teaspoon of sugar, 1 tablespoon of fish sauce, and 1/2 teaspoon of chicken seasoning powder into the pan, mix everything together and simmer on low heat for 15 – 20 minutes.

When the time is up, turn off the heat and strain once more to collect the shrimp steaming sauce.

Blanching and mixing vermicelli

Soak the vermicelli in water for about 15 minutes, wait until the vermicelli is soft.

Bring a pot of water to a boil, then quickly drop all the soaked vermicelli into the pot and blanch for about 30 seconds, then quickly remove it and immediately place the blanched vermicelli into a bowl of cold water to soak for 3 – 5 minutes to help retain its chewy texture.

Remove the vermicelli and let it drain, add 1/2 tablespoon of dark soy sauce and 1 teaspoon of the garlic sauce made earlier, and mix well to ensure the vermicelli absorbs the flavors evenly.

Steaming shrimp

After blanching the lotus leaves in boiling water, rinse them with cold water and lay them on the bottom of a deep plate, arranging the shrimp around the edge of the plate.

Place the vermicelli in the center, then drizzle with 1/2 tablespoon of sesame oil, 2 teaspoons of garlic sauce, and 5 tablespoons of shrimp steaming sauce on top, adding a little fried garlic. Drizzle an additional 2 tablespoons of fried garlic oil over the plate and place it in the steamer for about 5 – 7 minutes.

Final product

This dish bears the vibrant colors of Chinese culture with an incredibly simple preparation method, the shrimp meat is naturally sweet, firm, and slightly chewy, paired with the flavorful vermicelli mixed with the attractive aroma of the delicately seasoned sauce. All combine to create a wonderful flavor for the dish.

Prepare the ingredients

After buying the shrimp, clean the head and the shrimp thread, you should trim the antennae of the shrimp head for a more beautiful presentation.

Once the shrimp are cleaned, use a knife to cut them in half, but keep the tail so you can arrange the shape of the shrimp beautifully later.

Make the sauce

Prepare a pan and add a little cooking oil, then add the minced onion, garlic, and chili to fry until fragrant. Next, add 2 tablespoons of sugar, 1/2 tablespoon of salt, 1/2 tablespoon of monosodium glutamate, and 2 tablespoons of oyster sauce, stir well and bring to a boil.

Steam the shrimp

You can prepare some vermicelli to steam with the shrimp; you should soak the vermicelli beforehand to soften it, mix the vermicelli with a little sauce, and then place the mixed vermicelli on a plate. Next, arrange the cleaned shrimp on top in any shape you like; you can lay them lengthwise along the plate or arrange them in a circle on the plate.

Then, put it into the steamer and steam for about 5 – 10 minutes until the shrimp is cooked. Once the shrimp is cooked, take it out and drizzle the sauce on top.

Final Product

The shrimp after steaming has the aroma of onion and garlic from the sauce, the sauce is rich, and the shrimp meat is tender and sweet, combined with the chewy vermicelli, creating a delicious and very appealing dish.