I enjoy making somewhat elaborate dinners nightly, though that really doesn’t happen every night. Lunch is a different story. I try to maximize Caya’s morning play time (in the park, a class, or play space). We usually rush back just in the nick of time to allow five minutes to prepare lunch before she needs to eat; because soon after, it’s nap time.  I’m confident that having a kid is not required to have a limited lunch time.  Also it likely doesn’t take being two years old to have a short window between hungry and about to cry. It’s a daily stressor.

Shrimp & Peas is one of my saving dishes. It helps that Caya loves shrimp so much, we call her little shrimp monster. Do you see this plate of shrimp?  Try to count the pieces… I got to eat exactly one piece; Caya devoured the rest. You’re going to love the heck out of this dish too, especially when you realize that it could be the fastest, easiest, least clean-up dish you now know. If you buy already cleaned shrimp, this couldn’t take you more than three minutes to make. You don’t even need a knife or cutting board. How crazy is that?

Shrimp & Peas

By the way, I didn’t invent this dish. This is a classic you’ll find in many Chinese restaurants and one that most Chinese families make at home. If you’ve had it, you’re probably surprised by how easy it is to make.

Most of the time, this dish is made with frozen peas because fresh peas are only available during a very short season each year. Feel free to use them when you do find them. I absolutely adore fresh peas. You will probably have to blanche them first. Another nice substitute /alternative is edamame.

Shrimp & Peas 3

Shrimp & Peas
~serves 2 appetizer size (or one Caya)

  • 1/4 cup frozen peas
  • 14 peeled and de-veined shrimp (41-50 size)
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon vegetable oil

Instructions –

1. Rinse the peas with cold water. Drain. Set aside.

2. In a small bowl, stir together shrimp and cornstarch, coating the shrimp. Set aside.

3. Heat the wok on high heat. Add the oil and swirl it around the wok. As soon as it smokes, add the shrimp and stir-fry until both sides of the shrimp turn pink.

4. Add the peas and a pinch of salt. Stir-fry until the shrimp don’t have any grey (turns white on inside), no more than a minute. Serve immediately.

posted by jessica at 10:32 PM Filed under Chinese, Recipes. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.