- 1 large egg white
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 1 1/2 pounds (26 to 30 count) shrimp, shelled and deveined
- 6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 (1 inch) piece ginger, scraped and finely chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1/4 cup canola or vegetable oil
- 3 scallions, halved lengthwise, cut into 1-inch-pieces, dark green parts set aside
- Steamed rice
- In a medium bowl, whisk the egg white with the cornstarch, sugar, salt and pepper until a paste forms. Add the shrimp and toss to coat. Set the shrimp aside to marinate for 10 minutes. In a small bowl, combine the garlic, ginger and red pepper flakes; set aside.
- Heat a large, heavy skillet over high heat for 3 minutes. Add the oil and swirl to coat the bottom of the skillet. Add the shrimp and the white and light green scallion pieces and stir to coat with the oil. Cook, stirring and scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the skillet, until the shrimp are almost cooked through, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic mixture and the dark green scallion pieces and cook, stirring, until the shrimp are cooked through, about 1 minute more. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer the shrimp to a large platter and serve with steamed rice.