Ingredients
500 g (about 1 lb) mantis shrimp, 1 red chili pepper, 15 g cilantro, 10 g scallions.
Seasonings
10 g ginger slices, 10 g garlic slices, 1 tablespoon each MSG, chicken bouillon powder, ground white pepper, and vegetable oil, 4 teaspoons sugar, 3 tablespoons soy sauce, 100 g (about 1/2 cup) high-proof baijiu (Chinese liquor), and 1 spice sachet (containing 10 g star anise, 10 g cinnamon stick, 5 g bay leaves, 1 scallion, and 1 piece ginger).
Preparation
1. Wash and trim the cilantro and scallions, then cut into sections; remove the stems and seeds from fresh red chili peppers, wash, and cut into rings.
2. Place a pot over heat, add vegetable oil and heat until hot. First, add ginger slices and garlic slices, dry-fry until fragrant. Then add scallion segments and chili rings, stir-fry briefly. Transfer to a bowl, add cilantro segments, and toss to combine.
3. Wash the live mantis shrimp thoroughly with a brush, drain off excess water, and place them on a plate. Dampen a piece of clean gauze with a small amount of baijiu (Chinese liquor) and cover the shrimp with it.
Steps
1. Place a pot over high heat, add 400 g (about 1 3/4 cups) of water and the spice bag, bring to a boil, then add soy sauce, MSG, sugar, chicken bouillon powder, and white pepper, and cook for about 5 minutes.
2. Turn off the heat and let cool, then pour into a clean container, add baijiu (Chinese liquor) and stir to combine into a marinade, then add the mantis shrimp and let marinate for about 12 hours, remove the shrimp and arrange on a serving plate.
3. Sprinkle the stir-fried red chili rings and other toppings on top, then pour in a small amount of the marinade used to soak the mantis shrimp, and serve.